A Kiss For A Curse
by Scarlet Phlame
Summary: All it would take was a kiss to break Daniel's curse in the stables once he was brought back to life. Just one little kiss. And it worked. A story about years of forgiveness and moving on. Because having no one is truly the worst curse of all. (I do not own anything.) Every curse can be broken. Stable Queen, Snowing, etc. Updated daily. Full description inside. COMPLETE.
1. Lost

_**Hey guys, so this is my first real Once Upon A Time fanfiction (well, the first that isn't a oneshot), so constructive criticism is encouraged. I hope you enjoy!**_

_**Summary:**_

_**All it would take was a kiss to break Daniel's curse in the stables once he was brought back to life. Just one little kiss. And it worked. A story about years of forgiveness and moving on. Because having no one is truly the worst curse of all. (I do not own anything.) Every curse can be broken. Stable Queen. Updated daily (with exception of certain weekends and some days).**_

_**Center: **_

_**Daniel/Regina (duh)**_

_**Pairings:**_

_**Daniel/Regina**_

_**Snow/Charming**_

_**Neal/Emma**_

_**Rumplestiltskin/Belle**_

_**(Other pairings soon to be revealed.)**_

_**Enjoy!**_

* * *

I've always felt lost. Drifting away into the distance, no one to catch me or to keep me to the ground. Daniel was the reason to keep on going. Because once upon a time, I fell in love.

It's said that any curse can be broken by true love's kiss, but nothing can break my curse. My curse is the worst of all. I have no one.

I had a true love until he was killed, I had a son who never truly loved me.

All my life, it seems I've been alone. But that's okay. It's what I'm used to by now.

* * *

"Without you, I'm lost," Regina said, staring deep into his eyes, the mood gripping her. She had lost Daniel once, and she swore to herself never to lose him again. A choked sob escaped from her throat.

Daniel.

He was like her light, he was her gravity. He was the only thing that let Regina know which way was up and which way was down.

Daniel tenderly took his hands into hers.

"Regina... please...stop the pain... It's just too much to bear..." Regina was losing him, and she knew it. Time slowed down, and there was only one thought that surfaced. Daniel's curse could never be broken. Unless...

True love's kiss can break any curse.

All it would take was one little kiss. That's all.

She was running out of time, because Daniel was struggling to fight _it_ off. And in that one split second, she ran towards him, placed her lips on his, a multicolor-hued pulse swooshed through the land.

When Regina opened her eyes, the sight of Daniel filled them. She smiled at him, and he smiled back, her heart soaring. She had done it. She had brought Daniel back! The two kissed once again, their smiles seeming to be everlasting. But the moment was taken away when Regina realized what this would mean.

She was going to have to tell Daniel _everything_.

* * *

"Daniel, just follow my lead. Matters are complicated now... things have changed." Daniel paused and looked around.

"Where are we?" There was hurt in his voice, and Regina realized he had expected the worst.

"No, no, we aren't dead." Daniel breathed a sigh of relief, which turned to sorrow.

But there was a lot to explain.

Like how the whole town still wanted to kill her.

Or how they were even here in the first place.

"What was it like?" Regina whispered as they walked closer to her house.

"What was what like?"

"Being..." Dead. She couldn't even imagine, no, she wouldn't dare to imagine. Was it like the sleeping curse? Trapped, alone in the darkness, no one or anything to comfort you? If it had been, then Daniel would've felt exactly as Regina had when they had become separated. Daniel let out a slight chuckle, though Regina felt he ought to have been more grave, under the circumstances.

"It was like... sleeping. Although I wasn't really sleeping. I think I was stuck or something." Regina blushed. Oops.

That might have been that one preservation spell...

* * *

Regina stopped walking when they came to her house. Daniel gave her a mildly surprised look. "Why are we stopping here?" For the first time in a long time, Regina actually smiled. This wasn't a smirk, it wasn't a small smile, it was a real one. She hadn't been able to smile for years.

"This is where I- where we live." She said. Daniel almost went as white as the house paint. She had to admit herself, it was truly glorious. Large, eloquent and yet, elegant in a way, it was surely a jewel in a crown of its own.

"Wh- where are we, anyway?" Oh. Now the icebreaker. Only she didn't have one. How was she supposed to explain the curse to Daniel? She didn't want to... and yet, lying wouldn't get her anywhere. She sighed and took a deep breath. The truth, it was.

"Umm, in a place without magic." She felt like she was talking to a two-year-old. Except she barely could speak right now. She was so nervous of what Daniel would think of her when she told him all she had done... she couldn't even imagine.

"How did we, um, get here?" Find an excuse, find an excuse! She didn't want to cause a scene, not outside.

"Uh, uhm, I cast a... spell to send us here." Daniel gave her a confused look.

"Why did you want to send us here?" Regina tried to keep her cool, but first she managed to squeak out four words.

"Let's go inside first."

* * *

Once they were inside, and the door had been closed, Regina started to tell Daniel. Everything.

"I-she, andthenwe, I, Maleficent, pony, then, we, I, he wanted, Gold wanted, theypleaseandCurseandHenry, DavidhatSnowWhite-and-Cora-mirror-" Daniel raised his eyebrow.

"Sorry, that was a bit hard to understand. Mind telling me what's really going on here?"

And so she started. All the way from his death to the incident in the stables. Daniel silently listened to her speak, not moving an inch except for the occasional eyebrow raise or head nod.

"I-it was, I can't explain it. It's like I wasn't myself when I was doing such things. A-and, when Snow and Emma got pulled away, and I saw how much I- I hurt Henry, then I realized that... Magic wasn't helping at all. It was making it worse." She started crying. "And now, I feel really bad, because you- you're going to leave." It was typical, considering she had just told him how evil she had truly become. Surely he would be like everyone else.

Everyone.

No one cared. No matter how she tried to change, everyone still believed she was evil. It couldn't be different with Daniel anyway. So long had passed. Both were probably different people by now.

But instead of leaving, Daniel sat and gave her a blank stare. "Why would I do that? No matter what the circumstances, I still love you. I know you've been through a lot, we both have, but I still have faith in you, Regina." And in that moment, in that short statement, Regina knew for sure, as she had so many years ago, that Daniel was her one and only true love.

* * *

It was four hours after Daniel had gotten cleaned up when there was a knock at the door. Daniel and Regina had been talking, but Regina was not so happy to be interrupted. She walked over to the door angrily and yanked the handle.

"Hey, Regina, I wanted to talk to you."

_Charming!_ Her head screamed. _Bad time!_

"Um, um..." Great. Now Daniel had come over.

"What's..." He stopped cold when he saw Charming, who went white.

"How..." Charming was still white.

"I, um..." Regina uttered.

"..."

Regina shook her head. "It's a long, long story, but you have to believe me when I say he's okay. Daniel wrapped his arms around her protectively.

"Well, it's okay. Because I have a lot of time."

Regina opened her mouth to say something, but stopped, because she knew there was no point in arguing. Not with Charming, anyway. Especially since he was the exact opposite of charming. So much for his heroic nickname.

"Where should we start, then?" She asked in a small voice.

"How about... the beginning?"


	2. Pure Evil

"...And that's what happened." Regina was tired, tired of explaining long things. Time for a nap. A long, long nap. Daniel looked pretty tired too. Time had passed pretty fast.

"Is that all?" Charming yawned, stretching slightly. It disgusted Regina.

"Yes, and no, you can't sleep here," Regina retorted as Charming's eyes started to close. She glanced at her watch, which read 4:37 a.m. 4:37. It was so early in the morning, and yet so late. She wondered where Henry was.

"Oh, sorry." Yes, he should be sorry, they had wasted so much valuable time on him. And it wasn't like she _wanted_ to tell Charming everything. Of course, she had only told him half the story. Half the truth. She could never feel guilty lying to him, not after what he had done. And what his wife had done. Although it hadn't exactly been a lie. Just half of the story.

"I should get going, Henry's at the hospital."

Daniel guiltily shifted and stared at his feet.

"You're the sheriff till Mary Margaret and Emma get back," Daniel said. "So, you should probably lock me up."

"WHAT?!" Regina shrieked. Charming winced. She couldn't believe what she had heard. No. She would not let this stand, she would not let Charming steal Daniel. Not like this, not now. He had almost taken Daniel's life- again in the stables. She wouldn't let Charming lock up her beloved stable boy. She hated Charming.

And yet, what he said next surprised her beyond all and any imagination.

"And why would I do that?"

Daniel shuffled a little more. "Because... I hurt people. Aren't I a danger?"

"From what Regina told me, that wasn't you."

...Maybe she should reevaluate what "charming" meant. But still...

Regina warned Charming to stay away from Daniel or she would rip him in half.

"What a pleasant thing to say." Charming said with an uncomfortable look on his face. She sniffed haughtily.

"Anyway, I won't be arresting you, this town is in enough chaos already. Just try not to kill anyone else."

Daniel smiled weakly, and Regina could see his anguish. "T-thank you."

"No problem. You two, stay safe. I don't need the Queen becoming evil again."

Regina swore, but he ignored her.

"Happy holidays," he said as he walked out the door, Regina slamming it shut behind him.

"What a nuisance," Regina said once he was gone. Daniel shook his head.

"You've changed." And it was true. She had. Completely. She couldn't even remember how she had used to be, not until now. Looking back, that person she used to be seemed like an entirely different person, like someone she didn't know anymore. Like one of those old books cast aside in a library, one no one even knew existed.

Regina looked him in the eye. "I know." And she did.

"I- I, mean, don't take it the wrong way, we've all changed, but... I still see you, and it's you, but it's only... It's like, you aren't being true to yourself. You're trapping the real you." In just a few sentences, Daniel had pinned down exactly what Regina's problem was. And she wouldn't- no, she couldn't let that problem exist. It was an invisible barrier between their love. Keeping them apart.

That was Regina's last stand. She knew she needed to change, and without a word, she ran into the room with the cabinet holding the book of spells. Daniel followed her and watched as she threw the book into the fire flames.

"What was that?" He whispered.

"Pure evil."

* * *

"Here you go, Belle." Rumplestiltskin said, motioning towards a burger he had purchased just then. Belle grinned. That's when he got a strange feeling. And somehow, he knew, that the book of spells, his book of spells... something was happening to it.

How could that happen? It was safely...

With Regina.

How could he have trusted her?! Now he was going to pay for his mistake. It wasn't like he really needed them, but they could've come in handy. Belle noticed his anguish and asked him what the matter was. Looking into her eyes and seeing how much she cared for him, somehow, magic didn't seem to matter so much.

But he was still going to get back at Regina, somehow. This he vowed.

* * *

"What time is it?" Regina asked as she walked down the stairs the next morning to see Daniel gawking at the place. He reminded her slightly of a fish out of water.

"Er, I don't really know. I mean, not how to tell time here." Of course, how had she been so stupid? This was an entirely new place, and surely Daniel would have no clue as to what anything here was. How could he tell the time? Regina pointed a finger at the wall clock.

"That's a clock," she explained. God, she felt like she was expplaining things to a 5 year-old. Whywhywhy...

"Well, I mean... this sound ridiculous, but maybe, could you tell me what everything is? Starting with this?" he said, motioning towards the television.

"O-of course," Regina began. "Well, um, that's a..." This was going to take a long time.

* * *

"Here's the-" Regina was interrupted by the sound of knocking on the door. Apparently she wasn't going to be able to finish any of her sentences today. At all. Why was it everyone knocked on her door anyway? She might've been the Evil Queen, yes, but she wasn't the sheriff, and she had thought people should visit the sheriff's if they had a problem. Or Dr. Hopper's. She supposed not.

"Sorry, Daniel, I better go answer that." Daniel shook his head and smiled.

"No, it's okay. See you soon." He squeezed her hand. The walked down the stairs, holding hands as they went to go see who was at the door. As soon as Regina saw who was outside, though, she pushed Daniel into the living room before he could be seen by one no other than-

"You." She hissed.

"Oh, that's a nice was to greet someone, dearie."

"What do you want?" she snapped, closing the door behind her as she walked outside. She did not need Rumplestiltskin knowing Daniel was alive. He was up to something, that was for sure.

"What makes you think I'm here for something?" She grinned evilly. She knew his tricks, he wanted nothing from her but for her to perform his evil deeds. He wanted the curse cast, and she suspected that was the only reason he had even tutored her in the first place. She wasn't stupid, she could put two and two together. She was the only one besides him powerful enough to cast such a curse anyway.

"Because you're always here for something. Now what do you want?" She snapped. She wished she were inside with Daniel and a nice hot cup of cocoa. Yes, cocoa. That would taste good right about now. Maybe Daniel and her would like the same kind.

"Well, actually, I'm here about that book of spells." Regina froze. "I was hoping you could return it to me." Regina smirked. He had come too late. Well, of course, even if he had come before she had burned it, the instant he mentioned he wanted it it would be in flames. Gold was up to something, and that something was not what she wanted, she supposed. He was an ingredient for death.

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I can't give you that," She snapped.

"And why is that, dearie?" She couldn't wait to see his reaction when she told him what she had done with it only hours ago.

"Because. I burned it," she sneered.

"Ah, like I thought. Ever wondered, since all magic comes with a price, what is the price one must pay to destroy it?" Regina kept her cool. She was used to this, especially coming from Gold. She would not get agitated. She would keep her cool.

"Nothing. Look what magic's done to you," she sniffed. He stiffened. Score one for evil queen. She was actually relieved that she had shown she was not afraid of his threat, since she was inwardly terrified.

"Excuse me, I am not the one here who is an inch from being killed by an angry town."

"And your point is?" He was making her mad, and that was something only he would dare to do.

"You'd better watch out, Regina. There's a storm coming." Regina glared at him.

"Something's always coming." Heh. Something was always coming. Death, attack, murder, curse, it didn't matter. None of it did. Everything would pass. Nothing was permanent, as she had learned from her curse.

"Well, never suspected someone would come? Maybe, someone, related?" Regina stared at him. No. It wasn't possible. Cora was dead, she was dead and she wasn't coming back, not now, not ever.

"And how do you know such things? Cora is dead. Stone dead. I saw to it she was killed myself."

"I know everything. Can you not tell?" Regina laughed.

"You, my friend, know nothing." Her tone hardened.

"At least I know how to keep my true love alive."

"Good luck with Belle," She snapped. "Your relationship will be over in a week."

"Oh, look at the time," Rumplestiltskin said, glancing at his watch. "I better get going. Just know that the punishment for burning that book is going to be far less than severe."

As Regina opened the door to go back inside, Rumplestiltskin called to her.

"Good luck with keeping Daniel alive. You're going to need it."

* * *

_**Well, folks, you can tell I had quite the surprise when I left for my show and came back to see a whopping 6 reviews! So, this chapter is dedicated to all you guys! You made my day!**_

_**Reviews:**_

_**minorshan: Thank you so much for reviewing! I am so so glad people are reading this!**_

_**Anthony: Thanks for reviewing! :)**_

_**Rae325: Why, thank you! Glad to know this story has people excited!**_

_**PipersFury1939: Wow! Thank you! That's one of the best things I've heard all day!**_

_**Metope: OMG, are you who I think you are?! You're the author of Two More Steps! I LOVE that story! It is an honor! :)**_

_**Natali Rempel Drews: Aww, thanks so much!**_


	3. One Important Thing

"What was all that about?" Daniel pouted as he sat on the couch, staring at Regina as she walked in.

"Someone you don't want to know. It's his fault I'm the way I am." Daniel raised his eyebrow.

"Well, it is, because he's the one who brought magic to me and my mother! If not for him.. I.." Regina felt like a child, a foolish child. "I- Well, it's partly my fault, but it's mostly his!" Regina rambled hopelessly.

"You know, Regina, it doesn't matter how you act now. It matters who you are. I can still see you in you. And I'll never give up."

"Daniel..." She ran to give him a hug. He laughed.

"Hey, don't worry about it. We all go through tough times."

_You have no idea_, she thought.

* * *

Daniel stared at the brownish steaming liquid. "Looks good," he said with a laugh, wrapping his arms around her waist. Regina blushed.

"Hope it tastes good," she said, wrinkling her nose like she'd smelled something funny. "Henry used to think it tasted bland." Daniel laughed and kissed her on the cheek.

"Now, how are we going to know what it tastes like if you're too busy tasting my cheek?"

God, Daniel's laugh was gorgeous. It'd been to long, far too long. He reached over and took a sip from his mug.

"It tastes wonderful," he exclaimed.

And for the first time in a long time, Regina let out a real laugh. She took a sip of the pepperminty liquid, making a face as she did.

"I think that one was a little too strong." Regina leaned over to pour the cup down the sink drain.

"No wait, hey..." Too late. The fluid was down the drain. Daniel winced.

"I thought it was pretty good," he said. Regina made a face.

"Well, it's probably for the better, I think one cup of that stuff is a lot." Daniel let out a groan. But it wasn't the type you'd think. It was the type of groan that he had let out at the stable. This couldn't be good.

"Daniel?" Regina whispered. He held onto his heart. "Daniel... Daniel..." She ran over to him and kissed him again, but it was too late. Daniel... he wasn't there. When he looked up, she could see it in his eyes. Daniel was gone, replaced by something far more sinister. He reached out and grabbed her throat, and everything went black.

* * *

"Regina, you're very lucky you weren't severely injured," Charming said, approaching her in the hospital bed.

"Well, I'm sorry I thought I was safe in my own house," She snapped. "But lately, nothing seems to be safe." Charming sighed.

"Well, it isn't safe to go cursing a bunch of fairytale characters, either." Regina glared at him.

"That doesn't matter. Now, where is Daniel?" Charming winced.

"You probably won't be happy when you hear this, but he's being detained." Regina almost stopped breathing.

"What?" She whispered.

"Yeah. He turned himself in."

"Well, you'd better let him out, god dammit!" Regina growled.

"I'm sorry, that won't be happening. It's one thing we think a danger to this town, but it's another that he thinks he's a danger." Regina stiffened.

"Charming, what would you do for Snow?" He shrugged.

"Anything. If it was for Snow, anything."

Regina looked up, a tiny tear in her eye. "That's what I would do for Daniel. I already lost him once, I'm not losing him again."

"Regina, it's not safe." She snorted.

"Safe or not, I can handle him. I... I mean..." She made a helpless gesture. "You have no idea what would happen if... if you lost Snow. I've lost Daniel and... this happened. Do you want something worse to happen this time? If anything, I'm not safe. So just give me another chance... please?"

It was one other time Charming had seen Regina like this, and he had to admit she had a point. He contemplated this for a moment, and he noticed something... and emotion he had never seen, especially coming from Regina. He sighed. He couldn't believe he was about to do this... but...

"Okay."

* * *

"Regina, I am... I'm so sorry..." Regina looked up at him. "I'm so..." he shook his head. "What did I do?"

"Hey, it's okay." Regina leaned over and gave him a slight hug, ignoring the bruising on her neck. "It wasn't you. And this doesn't matter." She was, in a way, glad to have gotten rid of magic, but in a way, uncomfortable. How could she protect Daniel? What if they came after him like they did Ruby? Then what?

"Besides, we're both okay."

"Regina.. I still think..." She shook her head before Daniel could finish his thought.

"No."

Charming, who the pair hadn't noticed the time, stifled a laugh. Regina! And acting like a lovesick teenager. Then he blushed when he realized that that was how he and Snow used to act. Then, he stopped smiling when he started to wonder what it would be like to lose Snow...

Pure terror...

* * *

Another day had passed, but instead of staying in the hospital bed, she snuck past Daniel and the other patients to Mr. Gold's shop. That night she had sensed something... something she shouldn't have.

"Gold."

He turned.

"Yes, dearie? And, I thought that shop sign said closed."

"I don't give if it was closed or not. Is she here?" She snapped. Gold pretended to be confused.

"Is who here, dearie?"

"Oh, that is it!" Regina groaned. "You're up to something, I know it! Now, tell me, where is Cora?!" That last word slipped out involuntarily.

"Oh, that's what you're here about. Here." He handed her a packet of something.

"What's this?" Regina asked.

"Oh, magic powder so you can spell away your boyfriend. I don't think he'll last."

"How dare you!" Regina yelled, tossing the packet onto the sidewalk.

"Now, dearie, when did you open that door?" Regina paled.

"I... I didn't."

"Oh, yes, you did. I believe you still have magic!" If Regina had been pale before, then that was nothing described to what she turned now.

"B-but..."

"You thought you'd gotten rid of magic by burning that book?" He sniffed. "Please, dearie, why would such a thing happen?" Regina steadied herself against a cabinet.

"And, I think you've forgotten one important thing."

"And, what's that?"

"Daniel is by himself at the hospital."

**_Thank you so much to all my fabulous readers! Here are the primary words:_**

**_Please R&R! _**

**_I will see you next chapter!_**

**_Reviews:  
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**_MissiB: Thanks! ^^ I always wonder what would've happened if Daniel never died, and that's why I started this story! It's great to know people appreciate this!_**

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	4. Invisibility Cloak

Regina ran as fast as her legs would carry her. The hospital seemed to be miles away, and even though she was running her fastest, it wasn't like she could win a marathon in high heels.

"Screw this!" She muttered and tossed the shoes off and continued running barefeet. Some fairytale characters raised an eyebrow. After all, it wasn't every day you caught the Evil Queen running barefoot to the hospital.

"Daniel..." Regina nearly choked on her own words. There was someone with magic here, and for the first time in a long time, she truly felt fear. She didn't know what she would do if she was too late. She shouldn't have left him, even if only for a minute. As she neared the building, she started picturing Cora.

It'd been years since she saw her, and now... as she ran into the room, she was relieved to find Daniel pacing around the room.

"D-Daniel!" She stuttered, running and tackling him to the floor in one huge hug. "I-I'm so glad you're okay!" She sobbed.

"Umm, good to see you too," Daniel said as he stood. He took Regina's hand and helped her up.

"I... I think, I think... Cora's back!" Regina rambled helplessly on. "There... was this... presence! Gold! Then dust and disappear and high heels and Maleficent's pony and-"

"Wait. Hold on. What's this about Cora?" Daniel sounded concerned.

Well, then again, she would be concerned too, given the circumstances.

"I think so... I can sense a magic presence here. It's like when she used to be around." Daniel went pale.

"You don't think she's moved on, do you?" He said softly.

"If she has, then she wouldn't be after me."

Daniel groaned. The normal kind. "Then we have a problem." Regina winced. Where had she heard that before?

"I don't know what to do. I don't want her to..." She made a helpless gesture. "History is going to repeat itself. I can't stand losing you. Not again. God knows what would have happened if I had had to magic spell you away." Daniel sighed.

"Didn't you ever consider moving on?" Regina shook her head.

"No... No! I would never do that!" She firmly stated.

_Just gotta keep Graham a secret_, she thought.

"Are you okay?" Regina looked up.

"Huh?"

"Oh, you were blushing for a second there."

Regina turned away. "Oh, it's... um, nothing."

Daniel raised an eyebrow.

"Anyway, what are we going to do if Cora comes back?" She said, smartly changing the subject.

"I don't know. I worry for you," Daniel replied bitterly.

"Well, I'd consider the two of you would be a little more grave, considering the circumstances," Mr. Gold said as he walked in.

"What do you want?" Regina snapped.

"Well, dearie, what makes you think I'm here for something?"

"You always want something."

Daniel watched the two of them throw insults at each other. _They could wake the dead_, he thought. Although, technically, that had already happened. Why so much bitterness? Daniel supposed he would never know. He shook his head. Regina was a good person.

"This sounds like our last conversation." Regina paused for impact. "And, same scenario as last. I don't want you here and you don't want me here." Gold shook his head.

"Not alive, at least. Actually, I came here to sell you something." He held out a patterned cloak.

"A tacky cloak. Wow, you sure have got my attention."

Gold ignored her.

"Not just an ordinary cloak, dearie. An invisibility cloak." Regina raised a thick eyebrow.

"And I need that because?"

"Well, funny thing, actually, this cloak has a rather unique tale to go with it. I won't go into details, but it's said this cloak can hide you from death. Rather interesting. But not only that, from magic. Dark magic." Regina hungrily stared at the thing.

"Name your price." Gold grinned.

"How about that?" He motioned towards Regina's hair.

"My hair? What could you possibly want with that?" Regina said, raising an eyebrow.

"Dearie, that's none of your business. Deal? Or no deal?" Regina stared at the cloak.

"Deal."

* * *

"What was that about anyway?" Daniel asked after Gold had left. Regina shrugged.

"No idea. At least he only took one. I'm surprised he helped us out, especially after..." Oh. She hadn't told Daniel about Belle. And she intended to keep things that way.

"After... the curse?" Regina nodded. She felt awful lying to Daniel, but she couldn't bring herself to tell him what she had done.

"You better put this on," Regina said, quickly draping the cloak over Daniel.

"Regina... I think..." Regina shook her head.

"It's for you. I can take care of myself." She said. "Think of it as a Christmas present."

"Regina, you should.." A tear formed in her eye.

"I don't want to live without you, not after I just got you back." She tossed the cloak on his head and he turned invisible.

"It's hot in here," Daniel muttered. Regina smiled, despite the situation.

"We'd better get you somewhere safe. Where are you?" She said, stumbling around like a blind person.

"I'm over here," A voice said. She felt a hand on her shoulder.

"There you are." Regina laughed.

"Okay, we should get going," she said. She felt an odd presence there and spun around. Nothing was there.

"You okay?" Daniel asked, pulling off his hood. Regina nodded.

"Let's just get out of here," she said quickly.

* * *

"You sure this is necessary?" Daniel asked as Regina magic spelled a protection border around her house. She nodded.

"I'm more powerful than her. Well, at least, I still hope so. It's best to make precautions, though."

"You know, you don't have to do this," Daniel said quietly.

"You could-" Regina shook her head.

"I still love you, Daniel. And I'm not losing you. Not again." Daniel looked down.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you," he said softly. "I just don't want you to suffer if I..." his voice trailed off. Regina shook her head.

"It won't happen again," she said. "True love will always win out. It did this time." She scanned the area down one last time. "There, done." She said. "We're ready."

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	5. Someone Related

Yes, you could tell when the wind howled like the way it did, by the density of the air, that the way she breathed, that Cora was here. When magic had come, Regina had sensed it, and all she needed to confirm was the purple cloud passing through the town. Now, she stood before the very nightmare who she had once called her mother.

No, that did not sound right at all. Because Cora wasn't her real mother. It was like Graham had said.

Only she couldn't even relate to him. She had never loved him, anyway.

"Hello, dear daughter." Cora said sweetly. Regina winced. "My, look at how you've grown!" Cora cooed, as she walked around Regina. "So silent, I see, that's how you're playing it. You've been very naughty, you know, pushing me into a portal like that."

...God, and to think that Regina had once been like that.

"So, I've figured out a little game to play." Regina swallowed.

"And, what's that?" She had a bad feeling about what this game was.

"Well, how about this. If you can find true love's kiss before the thirteenth sunrise, then you win and I will leave you alone. However, if you fail..." Cora grinned evilly. "Then I will take your heart."

Regina grimly swallowed. She knew Cora wouldn't play fair, but still, she couldn't afford to take a chance. Even if it meant risking her own life, it was worth it to protect Daniel.

"Give me a day. You'll have your answer then."

Cora's grin widened.

"Very well. Let's begin."

All it would take was one little...

Kiss.

Jus one. That's all that was needed. But, how? She worried Cora might see Daniel. No. She couldn't risk that. She had to prepare to do this. So she exited the area.

* * *

"Just one." Regina explained. Daniel nodded. "But, she can't know. She can never know. Which is why I'm going to have to figure out a plan." She explained. Daniel shook his head.

"This is a dangerous game, Regina. I think she's trying to trick you." Regina swallowed.

"I know I can't trust her. And I don't know how to do this. The truth is, I'm scared, Daniel. Scared for you. And scared for me. I don't know what I'll do next. I'm scared to use magic... It's like an addiction. But, we're running out of time. I don't know what to do."

Regina made a helpless gesture.

"Regina!" Someone burst into the house and Regina swiftly pushed the hood over Daniel's head just in time.

"Snow's back!" Charming cried out. "B-but, she had to make a deal with Cora!"

"I-I made a deal with Cora!" Snow yelped.

"What?" Everyone was talking too fast.

"Hold on. What was the deal?" Snow and Charming stopped talking.

"Well, um, we made a deal that, um, if we helped her she would take us back. And she did! But her part of the deal was that that that she would come with us!"

Snow swallowed the last part.

"Yes, I know, I saw her," Regina said quietly.

"What?!" Snow exclaimed. "W-well, it's good that you did, b-but, uh, there was one more condition of the deal." She finished. "You have to make a deal with her." Regina groaned. Now there really was no way out. She could sense a new emotion from Snow. Could it possibly be regret? She supposed she would never know.

"How could you do that?" Charming said, sounding wounded.

"I-I had no choice!" Snow sobbed.

"Where's Emma?" Snow shook her head. "I haven't seen her. Regina, I am so, so...-" Regina took a swing at Snow, who darkly laughed.

"Hello, mother."

Snow's appearance faded and there stood Cora. Charming went white.

"Nice try, but you could never fool me," Regina growled bitterly. Cora laughed.

"My dear, you do realize you have no choice but to make that deal with me."

"In case you haven't realized, my true love died. YOU RIPPED OUT HIS HEART!" Regina screamed. Charming unsheathed his sword.

"How heroic," Cora said, and with a wave of her arm, the sword had turned into a noodle. Charming turned red.

"Leave me alone!" Regina screamed.

"Darling, you should have thought before you acted. Did you know the hell I went through in that place?" Cora's voice lost its artificial sweetness. "You're so bitter. And evil. You truly live up to your name."

"You locked my dad and your husband in a BOX AND LEFT HIM IN THERE!" Regina was in a rage. Charming swallowed hard, trying to figure out whether he should leave the room and leave the two to their own business.

Regina hurled a bright fireball directly at Cora's head.

_Yep_, Charming thought.

_Better leave them to their own business_.

He slipped out of the room.

Cora caught the fireball in her hand.

"You've grown weak," Regina snapped. Cora shrugged, extinguishing the flame.

"I was hoping for some mother-daughter time, but you had to make things this way."

"Some mother you were." Cora smiled sweetly. Regina watched her foe warily. She knew she couldn't take her heart, of course that wouldn't work. She had put two and two together. It'd make sense if the Queen of Hearts didn't have her heart where normal people had them. Cora smiled.

"I can truly see your wickedness." Regina hissed. "And this time, I won't hesitate to bring you down."

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	6. Mad Scientist

How had things ended this way? Cora lay on the ground, the life slowly draining away from her figure. A while ago, Regina would've felt wonderful. But now... It hadn't been worth it. None of it had. When she looked into her mother's eyes, all she saw was sadness, remorse, and in every way, herself. And she realized something.

She killed both her parents. She sank to her knees, sobbing, staring at her mother's lifeless face, at eyes that could no longer see, hands that could no longer devastate. She really did it.

This had truly been no redemption. Not at all.

Somehow, the moment she had yearned for her entire life... wasn't really what she wanted.

* * *

"It's over," Regina said as she stared fixedly into the flames from the fireplace. Daniel hugged her tight.

"I'm sorry. I should've been there for you." Regina shook her head.

"You wouldn't have wanted to see."

There was a knock on the door. Regina and Daniel gave each other a nervous glance as the pair stood and exited the main room. Regina swung the door open, and there stood the doctor.

"Hello, Regina, I wanted to tell you something," He said, walking in uninvited. Regina closed the door behind him. What was with people and walking into her house uninvited? As the door slammed shut, Dr. Whale went nuts.

"So, I was doing some research, and then I found out that because of the biological fact that Daniel is dead, but missing his primary organ, the heart, that-"

"Could you repeat that in English, please? And, what's this about Daniel?" Regina huffed.

"Well, you see, I was working in my lab late last night, and I figured out something. Since Daniel's heart isn't his, then I realized that if he tries to feel love, and it's too much, then he'll change back." Regina groaned.

"This is great," Daniel mumbled.

"Is there anything you can do?" Regina asked. Dr. Whale thought for a moment.

"Probably not. But, let's make an agreement."

Regina shifted into a more comfortable position. "All right. what's your conditions?"

"Take my brother here," he pleaded. Regina sighed wearily.

"Fine, I'll try," she huffed. "But, I'll need a certain hatter to help. On the other hand, I won't bring him here until you find a way. That works, mind you." Whale nodded.

"Thank you. I'll do my best," he said as he exited.

Daniel motioned towards a mug Regina was holding. "Mind if I have a sip of that?" Regina shook her head.

"I think you've drunk enough of my hot chocolate to last you a lifetime."

* * *

Regina ran home with a document over her head, the rain whipping at her sides and soaking the paper. By the time she had gotten home, she was completely drenched. Daniel laughed. She sighed and squeezed water out of her saturated hair.

"I take it you didn't find him." Regina sighed and shook her head.

"I really thought I'd found him," Regina groaned. "That stupid hatter. If only... I wonder, does Charming still have that ratty old hat? Hopefully it's still in one piece, but... hmmm. Jefferson might be able to make a new one. We'll have to see."

Charming was unamused when Regina knocked on his door at four in the morning.

"What do you want?" he groaned.

"Well, I can see why Gold hates listening to people say that..." Regina mumbled. "Actually, I was hoping you had that hat." Charming groaned again.

"Regina, okay, but why 4 in the morning?" Regina shrugged.

"Just gimme the goddamn thing."

Charming shook his head. "Whoa, hold on a second there. I need it to find Emma and Snow." Regina grinned.

"Well, luckily for you, I can help with that. I have magic."

"But what about the fairy dust-"

Regina shook her head. "Charming, you idiot, I'm not a fairy." She sent the death glare in his direction.

"Oh. Well, I don't know much about magic... but are you sure you can do it?" Regina nodded. Then she groaned aloud.

"I just realized... when you're traveling with the hat, only the same number of people that went through it can come out." She thought for a moment. "Anyone who wants to go back?" An idea lit up in her head. "Do... you, uh, think it works with corpses?" Charming made a face.

"What corpse?"

"Cora's, of course." Charming nearly vomited.

"You killed Cora?" Regina rolled her eyes.

"If I hadn't, I wouldn't be standing here," she said sourly.

Charming shuddered. Another reminder of Regina's dark past. "Well, um, I suppose. But... maybe keep... you know... away from Henry? I don't think..." his voice trailed off.

"Of course," Regina replied. "Now where is it?" Charming looked around.

"Wait here," he said and ran off, the door slamming shut, leaving Regina out in the rain.

I wonder if my makeup is getting ruined, she thought. I probably look like a zombie from my lack of sleep, anyway.

Charming swung the door open a few minutes later. "Here," he said, handing her the mutilated hat.

"This looks worse than when I last saw it," Regina exclaimed bitterly. "I wonder if it still works," she commented. "Well, off to go find two people. Wish me luck." Regina exited with the hat.

Her makeup is ruined, Charming thought.

* * *

"Whale. Have you found a way?" He spun around, darkness framing his face.

"Oh. Almost," he replied.

"Well, I found a way for you to reunite with your brother. But, it's gonna take a lot of planning. How's your research going?" She casually asked. "Oh, yes, it's gonna take sending you back home." Whale brightened.

"So you can, but... can you... well, take him here?" Regina shook her head. She knew she was lying, yes, but everyone would be happy. Whale or whatever his fairytale name was would be reunited with his brother. Snow and Emma would get home. And she would have Daniel. At this point of time, Daniel was all that mattered.

"Okay, well, I'll be honest. I found a way. It's very simple. You have to swap his heart with the heart of someone that is capable of love."

Regina swallowed. "Very well... let's get started. I'll have to steal me a heart."

Whale grinned. "This is going to work."

* * *

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	7. Whose Heart?

Whose heart? She was certain she could not choose from her vault; she had no idea which heart belonged to who. One thing was clear; she would have to steal another heart. Never mind consulting Daniel; he would never have to know. This could be her and Whale's little secret.

She started off by Granny's, searching for someone. Someone that would not be missed. Nearby she noticed Billy chatting with Ruby. He was surely capable of love, for he certainly had a crush on Ruby. She'd even seen them talking.

A heart capable of love.

Perfect.

Now, to go about stealing it, before it was too late.

This really was going to work.

* * *

"I've got it," She said, placing the beating thing on the table. Such a quiet success, but she could tell she had done well.

"Perfect." He grabbed the pulsating orb and examined it. Regina felt a slight pang of guilt. But, then again, Billy... he was technically a mouse. Not like he would really be missed. Not like she cared. More like, not like she should care.

But she did.

She could tell that she herself was changing. Not just her actions, but also herself.

"Now, how is this going to work?" Whale interrupted Regina's thoughts. She paused. She had been planning this for a while, and had finally figured out the plan.

"Well, the same number of people who go through come out." Whale nodded. "So, I take you, Cora, and myself through the hat. Then, once we're there, I send you and Cora through the hat again to your land to be with your brother. Then, I have to find two other people to come with Snow, Emma, and myself back home. And that's all." Whale nodded again. In a way, she was glad he was a smart doctor or whatever. She wasn't really in the mood to repeat herself, especially in a situation like this.

"Perfect. Bring Daniel over here and we'll get started."

* * *

"No."

Regina groaned. "Come on, it's..."

Daniel shook his head. "How do we know this heart isn't as bad as the one I have now? How do we know... What if I get worse? I can't risk hurting anyone else. I can't risk hurting you."

Regina shook her head. "Umm, well, I know this heart will work. I can... tell. Whale couldn't because he doesn't have magic. But, I do! So that's how I can tell." Daniel sighed.

"Regina, I still don't think this is a good idea-"

"No buts. Daniel, we're running out of time. I'm running out of time." She helplessly raised a hand to her head. "Let's just get you out of here." Daniel looked her in the eye.

"You really are serious, aren't you?" He softly said, taking her hands into his.

"Of course. I would do anything for you." Daniel nodded.

"Okay. I will. But on one condition." Regina's smile faded a bit, but still barely remained.

"What's that condition?"

"Try not to use magic. Or hurt anyone else. I really... please. Just try. I'm not expecting something to happen overnight but..." his voice trailed off. A lump rose in Regina's throat.

"Okay. I promise."

* * *

"It's done." Whale exited the room.

Regina swallowed.

"Umm, did it work?" Regina was terrified of what his answer could possibly be. He had failed before, who was to say he would succeed this time? Whale nodded yes, and Regina breathed a sigh of relief, tears flooding her eyes. It had worked. She ran into the other room, whacked the doors open and ran in and hugged Daniel's unconscious form.

"Oh, there is one small catch," Whale said. Regina nodded.

"And what is this catch?" Regina asked nervously, breaking from her little hug and stepping towards Whale.

"Well, the heart you gave me... who did it belong to?" Whale inquired. Regina swallowed.

"Umm, to a mouse." Whale nodded.

"Uh-huh. Well, when I was running tests, even if you have the perfect heart, when you swap hearts, let's say, then something will always... have a defect. In this case, stress. If Daniel happens to feel too much stress, then he might switch back."

"What?!" Regina shrieked.

"Well, considering that you took it from... a mouse... I don't think that particular mouse has felt too much stress, no?" Regina let out a sort of whine. "But, at least you have a chance to love him now." Whale continued. "Before..."

Daniel let out a grunt. "You lied," he said, and only then did Regina turn and see he had been awake the entire time. "You said... but, you lied. You killed someone else. You've really changed..."

"Wait, Daniel, I can explain!"

Daniel ran right out of the lab.

"Daniel!"

There was no answer, only the sound of her frantic call echoing down the hall.

"DANIEL!"

* * *

Daniel was gone. There was no doubt of it. "What's going to happen to him?" Regina sobbed. Whale ran his hands through his thick hair and sighed.

"I need to go check something, I'll be right back." Regina went white.

"What, you're just going to leave me here?" Whale made a squeak-like noise.

"Look, Regina, this is really important. I'm sure Daniel will be fine."

"And what if he's not?"

"I'm sure you can take care of yourself. You're the Queen, for heaven's sake!" Regina squirmed.

"Was. I was the queen." There was a short silence. "Anyway, I need to focus on more important matters. Such as getting Daniel back. I need to go find him."

"Wait, Regina," Whale said, pulling her away from the door. "It could be dangerous. You could get killed." Regina looked him straight in the eye.

"I don't care. Not if it's for Daniel," she said coldly. Gripping her handbag, she marched down the hall and upstairs to the ground floor.

She would go to the end of the earth to find him.

* * *

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	8. Henry

"Daniel!" Her voice echoed past the black and down the road. In her mad rush, she knocked a trash can over. It clattered onto the road, making a hollow thunk. "Daniel! Where are you?!" She cried out, the syllables, and words coming out in a jumbled mess. "Please be okay!" Still no reply. She would never forgive herself if she had lost him. She couldn't forgive herself. "Daniel!" She shrieked, her voice reaching an octave she had never heard before. The trash bin clattered, and she spun around. She could not believe who she saw.

"Daniel!" She cried, and went to hug him, but froze in her tracks. That crazed stare... this wasn't Daniel.

_God... help me_, she prayed. She closed her eyes, felt something clutching her throat, and everything melted away.

* * *

She was seemingly swimming through darkness, watching people pass by her hospital bed. She could hear slight whispers of hushed conversations.

"Went..."

"Heard that they..."

"...could..."

"Regina." That single word jolted her out of her odd trance.

"Yes?" She moaned and tried to sit up. She hated being caught helpless. Her vision cleared just enough to recognize the figure before her as Daniel.

"God... Daniel..." She would've hugged him, but was too weak to do so.

"It happened again... I'm so sorry, Regina." Regina shook her head.

"I shouldn't have done what I did. It was wrong. I'm trying to change... but it's difficult. It's what I've done my entire life. And-"

"Mom?" Her eyes widened when she saw a boy walking near her.

"Henry?" She managed to choke out. He gave her a bear hug.

"Are you okay, mom?" Regina swallowed when she realized once Henry saw Daniel, there was going to be some explaining to do.

"Umm, who's this?" Henry inquired as he broke out of his hug with Regina.

"Uh, sweetie, is your grandad here?" Henry shook his head.

"But who-"

"Does your grandad know you're here?" Henry shook his head.

"Really, who-"

"Maybe you should go back to your grandad. He must be worried, and he'll have my head if he finds out you're over here."

"But, who is he?" Henry sighed, relieved he had finally gotten to ask his question.

"I'm her fiancé-"

"A friend," Regina quickly said in unison with Daniel. She made a face.

"You're her fiancé?" Henry gawked. "But then why-"

Regina cut him off. "It's a really long story." She said carefully.

Henry sighed. Apparently he wasn't going to be able to finish any of his sentences today.

"But really, I want to know." Daniel anxiously eyed Henry.

"You know, it's all right with me if you tell-"

"No."

Apparently no one was going to be able to finish any of their sentences today.

"Please?" That one word. That was her undoing. She loved Henry, just as much as she loved Daniel. And she could not say no. It wouldn't be possible for her.

"Okay." Henry smiled. That smile made it all worth it.

* * *

"Well, as you can tell, my mother was unpleased that I was in love with Daniel, not the queen." Daniel had been staring at the wall, as if willing it to do a trick or jump like a dolphin, like it wasn't an inanimate object. Henry was glued and hung onto every word Regina uttered.

"So, she came to the stables and ripped out his heart." Henry looked a bit saddened by this news.

"Because Snow White couldn't keep a secret," Regina continued. As if on cue, the wall suddenly wasn't fascinating anymore, and Daniel found himself talking to Regina.

"You know, I wondered something. Why did you take your anger out on Snow and not Cora?" Daniel inquired. Regina suddenly found her shoes to be interesting.

"Well, um, I couldn't let go of the fact that you were dead. And, um... with my mother gone, I had no one else to blame. I couldn't handle the fact that losing you might've been... was... my fault." She looked up from her shoes.

"But then, even though I tried to be a good queen, a good wife, everyone loathed me and loved Snow. I was turned away always. And I became sick with jealously." She swallowed and continued.

"As the years passed, my hatred grew, and she was happy with Charming... that should've been me. I should've been happy. But it was like I was trapped in darkness." A tear formed into her eye. Henry and Daniel listened on silently.

"And then, I found you, Henry. You were like my light. For the first time in a long time, I could see. Because, the only reason I wanted to get revenge was because I was alone. And I wanted Emma gone, because she was going to take you from me, so I gave her the apple turnover," She said bitterly.

"Which I ate," Henry confirmed. Daniel winced.

"Yes... I can't tell you how horrible that felt. True love can break any curse. And it did. But Emma still had you. All I wanted was you back."

"Until one night," Daniel said.

"Yes. Whale brought Daniel back. I don't know how, but he did. And true love's kiss broke the curse and now, here we are."

Henry raised an eyebrow. "Okay... but when I reached a hand out to you," He nodded towards Daniel, "You attacked me. Why?" Daniel opened his mouth to say something.

"I-"

"That wasn't him," Regina interrupted.

Yes, no one was going to finish their sentences today.

"See, if you mess with life and death, there are side effects. Daniel's heart... it wasn't his. A complete different person. So, it's like he's-"

Charming burst in the room.

Apparently Regina wasn't going to finish her sentences either.

"Henry! There you are!" Charming breathed a sigh of relief, but stopped cold when he saw Regina. Daniel stiffened.

"Henry, let's go home." Henry whined, but listened to Charming. Just as he walked out of the room, Henry called out four words that made Regina's heart soar.

"I love you, Mom."

* * *

_**Reviews:  
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_**sevy MMAD: Hahaha, I had to do that. I totally am an Evil Regal, don't get me wrong, but even Snow is pretty damn scary without Charming. XD Actually, that makes me wonder what she would do if Regina and her switched places-**_

_**No! No more plot bunnies! Wait... that's worse than a plot bunny! More like... a plot vampire! (Cymbal crash, crickets chirp) Ahh, I can tell even Jiminy Cricket is unamused by my tasteless humor.**_

_**...Enough senseless ranting. Please R&R!**_


	9. Missing Fish

Whale was missing.

Regina didn't know what to think, especially after she had come back to the lab with Daniel to find him missing. There was only one thing left to do, that was something she was sure of.

She was going to have to find him.

Before, she wouldn't have even considered it. But, after she'd killed an innocent... No. She was going to redeem herself, she was going to change. She wanted to be herself again.

"I have to go."

"Wait. What?"

"I made a promise to Whale. I have to do something." Daniel nodded.

"I understand. But, you should hurry. You don't know what situation he might be in." It was Regina's turn to nod.

"Daniel?"

"Yes?"

She paused. "I love you."

Daniel smiled. "I love you, too."

And that was all she needed to hear. That was all she needed to go on. To change.

She could finally move on.

* * *

"Doctor Whale?" Regina called out hopefully. The only answer was complete silence, save for the sound of the whipping wind wrapping around her in a freezing embrace.

"Doctor Whale!" She nearly screamed. Wrapping her coat tightly around her, she continued walking down the street. She froze when she saw something wet and bloody lying on the sidewalk. Her heart pounded with fear when she kneeled down to the figure, pushing the bloody bundle over. A gasp escaped from her lips.

It was Doctor Whale.

* * *

"Well, you sure are a lucky one," Regina commented as she healed Whale's wounds. "How exactly did you get like this anyway?" Whale groaned.

"It was Daniel." Regina froze.

"What?"

"I was attacked by Daniel." Regina let out a petulant groan and slid down onto the cold sidewalk.

"What am I going to do?" She cried. "I've worked so hard... I can't lose him... not again." She straightened. "No. I won't lose him. No matter what." She helped Whale up to his feet.

"Come on. Let's get you home."

* * *

"Good luck, Regina," Daniel said, planting a small kiss on her cheek. Regina's heart soared from that one simple deed, that one simple kiss.

"I love you, Daniel. I promise, I'll see you again." Somehow she knew he would be okay. The couple shared one last hug before Regina prepared the hat for their journey. Daniel exited the room, leavind Cora, Whale, and Regina alone.

"Umm, so, who's going to take Cora in?" Whale asked nervously. He knew she might've been stone dead, and he certainly didn't mind bodies, but the fact that this had once been Cora... no. He didn't even want to think of it.

"You can, since you seem to, well, you know, not care much about living or dead. Me? I can't even bear to glance at her. It evokes too much painful memories," She choked.

"You killed her, and yet..." Whale's voice trembled.

"I still love her," Regina said sadly. She shook her head to clear her mind.

"Let's just get this over with." She kneeled down on the ground, took a deep breath, and spun the garment. With a flick of magic, the broken thing swirled, just barely strong enough for a few trips.

"You ready?" She called through the vortex of wind. Whale nodded, reluctantly grabbing ahold of Cora.

"Wait till I tell you to jump. One... two... three... NOW!"

And everything melted away.

* * *

Regina stood, shakily. A few feet away was a camp. But not just any camp. This camp was completely devastated, blood everywhere, but corpses nowhere to be seen. Whale lay a few feet away, next to him, Cora. She shook him.

"Whale! Whale!" He groaned and rolled over, then grinned rather widely.

"My, I had you concerned, didn't I?" Regina huffed and turned away.

"Okay. Time to go find Snow and Emma."

"Excuse me, shouldn't we be getting my brother?" Regina sniffed.

"I made two promises to get us where we are. One was that I would find Snow and Emma." She made a gesture towards Whale. "Coming? Or not?" Whale groaned.

"I'm tired. How about we make camp here? I think that someone has been kind enough to... start something." Regina looked around the area in dismay.

"No way. C'mon, Whale, we're leaving."

"Who's gonna take her?" Whale whined, pointing to Cora.

"You," Regina replied matter-of-factly.

"Oh, so give me all the work, I see how it is." Whale huffed.

Regina rolled her eyes.

"Are you coming or not?" She firmly asked.

"Fine," Whale groaned.

* * *

"Aurora!" Mulan called. She raised a torch to light the path down to Rumplestiltskin's cell. "Aurora!"

"Over here," A small voice cried.

"Thank gods," Mulan muttered, dashing over to where Aurora sat. "Are you okay?" Aurora nodded.

"Except for the fact I'm tied up, I think I'm fine." Mulan let out a slight chuckle.

"Here." She unsheathed her knife and cut her loose. She opened the bag containing Aurora's heart. She winced as Mulan held it up.

"Have you ever done this before?" Mulan looked at her seriously.

"No." Aurora closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting out a gasp as Mulan shoved her heart back inside her chest. Everything was silent for a moment until Aurora started to breathe again in small choked breaths. She smiled slightly and Mulan smiled back.

"So what now?"

"Cora told me that we can save trapped souls.. that they're sent to another world... but I'm concerned about Snow and Emma. We can go save Phillip, but I cant to check up on them."

"Those two are more important than Phillip?" Aurora gave her a hurt look.

"Still, I want to know." Mulan sighed.

"Very well then. It's barely a day's journey, anyway. We start now."

* * *

Something creaked.

Regina gasped and sat up.

Something roared.

...Oh god... it was the Wraith.

She checked her hand, and was relieved to find it unmarked. She felt a pang of guilt when she realized that the fact that it was gone meant that someone else had died because of her.

She heard the cries of the newly stolen souls as the Wraith passed overhead, not uttering a word for fear it would find her, until it was gone.

Of course, she knew that once a soul was stolen, it would be transported to another world.

And, of course, it could be reunited with its body.

With a price.

* * *

_**Hey guys, so I usually don't update on the weekends (depends on what I'm doing, though) but I pre wrote this chapter and thought I'd get it out there.**_

_**Thank you all and please R&R!**_


	10. Water in The Well

"W-what happened here?" Whale gasped. Even Regina was struck speechless.

Seeing the lake, filled once more... with no siren... she was sure.

It had to be the product of magic.

But that wasn't the surprise.

The surprise was seeing two stiff bodies lying next to one another.

"God... what happened here?" Regina muttered, Whale making a face.

"I said that already," he muttered silently.

"Is that-" Regina gasped as she recognized Snow and Emma. Whale made a face.

"David will have my head if he finds out where I am... Not to mention that this isn't a pretty sight... murder never is..." He moaned. Regina ran over to Emma and Snow.

"Looks like Emma hit her head," She mumbled. "And Snow looks like she was knocked out." Regina sighed.

"It must've been my mother." She turned to Whale.

"Get me some of that water," She ordered.

"What, me?" Whale made a face.

"When I came here, it was to find my brother, not to rescue helpless fairy tale characters."

"Then you should've thought before jumping into a hat with me. Who are you to criticize them? You're a fairytale character yourself!" Regina snapped, walking over to the lake and using magic to makel a bucket.

"Here," She said, handing the bucket to Whale, who raised an eyebrow.

"Really? You want me to lug a bucket of water over to those two to wake them up?" Regina shrugged.

"Fine." Whale grabbed the bucket, scooped up water, and dumped it on the pair. Emma leapt up and Snow immediately drew her bow at the sight of Regina.

"Well, I wish I were somewhere else," Whale commented, raising his hands up at the sight of the arrow.

"Hold on, I wouldn't go killing anyone just yet," Regina said sharply. Snow lowered her bow and blinked.

"What are you doing here?" Regina shrugged. "Actually, I'm here to bring you back."

"Give us one good reason to trust you," Emma said firmly.

"Her," Whale said, making a motion towards Cora. Snow's eyes widened.

"Is that-" Whale nodded.

"You have to trust us," Regina said. "But, before we take you home, there's just one thing to do." She nodded towards Whale, kneeling on the ground and revealing the hat.

"Whoa. Is that-" Snow motioned for Emma to stay quiet as she warily eyed Regina.

"Ready?" Whale nodded and grabbed ahold of Cora's cold hand and pulling her near the hat. Regina closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and spun the hat. A purple vortex appeared, whipping Regina's hair in tendrils of black. Regina grabbed Whale's sweaty hand and jumped into the hat, leaving Emma and Snow alone in silence.

* * *

"Snow!" Snow turned around to see Aurora running at her full speed, Mulan lagging behind.

_Uh oh_, she thought.

Aurora tackled Snow to the ground in a big hug.

"Are you okay? What happened? Why aren't you home?"

Emma groaned.

"Cora and Hook beat us to it," She exclaimed. "They knocked us out and ran for the portal."

Mulan gave Aurora a warning glance, who shrugged.

"I'm sorry you didn't-"

Regina, Whale, and his brother fell out of a hat.

"What just happened?" Aurora asked, eyes round as saucers.

"Portal jumping," Regina said as she picked herself up off the ground, dusting off her coat. Snow and Emma helped Whale get up, but didn't even spare a glance at Regina. That was okay, though, she was surprised she'd helped them at all.

"And who are these two?" Whale inquired, motioning towards Aurora and Mulan.

"I'm Aurora, and this is Mulan," Aurora intorduced.

"Pleasure to meet you," Whale said, extending his hand for Aurora to shake. Mulan raised a thick black eyebrow.

"Okay, can you just cut the crap for a second and tell me what the hell is going on here?" Emma huffed.

"Yeah," Snow piped in. "Shouldn't you, um, be burning down Storybrooke by now?" She froze. "Unless you already have!"

Regina shook her head. "Whoa, calm down. I've done nothing of the sort. As for being here, Charming and Whale made a deal with me." Regina explained.

"Wait. Just who is this?" Aurora asked warily.

"A friend..."

"Cora's daughter, the one who cast the curse on this entire land, ruining all our lives," Snow said bitterly. Regina looked at her foot, and the girls sent the death glare to Whale, who nervously chuckled.

"Wait, what, you're going with _her_ in that _thing_?" Mulan asked incredulously.

"Yeah," Aurora said. "Isn't that-" She stopped cold when she saw the Wraith right behind a clueless Regina.

"WRAITH!" Aurora shrieked. Regina spun around and gasped at the sight of the beastly apparition behind her. She had good reason to be scared, yes, but she had magic now. And with a flick of her wrist, she had repelled it with fire, a distraction long enough to spin the hat before it came back. She dove out of the way, and the Wraith tumbled into the hat.

* * *

"Where did that go?" The purple storm was still blowing, and in response to Snow's question, Regina squeaked out two words.

"Storybrooke. Home."

"The portal's gonna close!" Emma yelped.

"Then let's go," Whale said, leaping into the hat with his brother.

"I'm not leaving, at least, not with you," Snow scoffed.

"If you don't, Whale will get trapped! The same number of people have to come in and out! Please, you have to trust me!" Regina pleaded. She couldn't afford to get trapped here. She would lose Daniel and Henry... she would be ripped away from everything she loved!

"There is no way in hell-"

That was the last straw.

Regina pushed Snow into the portal.

"Mary Margaret!" Emma screamed, diving into the hat right behind her.

Regina closed her eyes, and walked right into the portal.

Everything went black.

Mulan and Aurora watched as the portal shrunk away and vanished into thin air.

Mulan swallowed hard.

"Now what?"

Aurora somehow managed to reply.

"We go find Phillip. And save him."


	11. You Found Me

"Mom!" Henry ran over to give Emma a huge hug. Snow picked herself up off of the ground. Realization hit her like a bullet.

"Charming!"

The trio left, leaving Regina alone and soaking wet by the well.

Wait a minute.

Realization knocked her to the ground.

Literally.

Right behind her was the Wraith.

* * *

"You found me.."

"Did you ever doubt I would?"

"I-"

A roar echoed in the distance.

"Wait. Is that-"

Snow gasped.

"I just realized... the Wraith... it's back!"

Charming nervously eyed Snow.

"It can't hurt anyone... no one has its mark... right?" Snow paled.

"No one has its mark... for now..." Charming went white.

* * *

"GOLD!" Regina screamed as she ran back to the shop, the Wraith stunned momentarily by the fire.

"GOLD!" She burst into the shop.

"The Wraith is back! How do I defeat it?!" She panted for air. Gold just sighed.

"Excuse me, how can I help?"

"There is one way to get rid of it... and that is with squid ink." Regina said. "I need some." Gold rolled his eyes.

"Why should I help you?" Regina thought for a second, a subtle smirk appearing on her face.

"Because it could harm Belle. You don't want that, do you?" Gold contemplated this for a brief moment.

"Very well," he sighed. He disappeared in the back room of the shop, and was back in a bit.

"You're lucky, I still have a jar or two," He said, handing her a paper written in squid ink. She reached out to take it, but he pulled it back.

"What do you want?" She snapped.

"Your jacket," He replied.

"This isn't mine, it's Daniel's," She snapped.

"Then Daniel's jacket."

Regina reluctantly handed him the article of clothing.

"Now." She held out her hand. "May I have that?" Gold gave her the scroll.

"Thank you, dearie."

Regina opened the door.

"For what?"

"For your business, of course!"

Regina walked outside.

"The pleasure was all yours."

The door slammed shut.

* * *

"Daniel." Regina walked into the house and placed the scroll on the table.

"Regina!" He ran over to her and kissed her. "I'm so glad you're okay!" He exclaimed, as they broke out of their embrace.

"Umm, Daniel."

"Yes?"

"I... I need to go. There's a Wraith in town, and it needs to be stopped. You understand, right?" Daniel nodded and smiled.

"You really are changing."

Regina spun around and saw Henry.

"Henry! What are you doing here?" She cried out happily. He ran to give her a hug.

"He insisted on seeing you," Emma said, walking inside.

Uninvited, mind you.

"It's great, you're really changing!" Henry exclaimed.

"Excuse me, who are you?" Emma said, eyeing Daniel.

"I'm, uh, her fiancé," Daniel replied cautiously. Emma raised an eyebrow.

"Wait. WHAT?!" Emma couldn't believe her ears. "You have a fiancé?" She spun around to face Regina. But now it made sense. Why Regina was acting so differently now. She was trying to change, mostly for Henry and for Daniel.

But was she trying to change for herself?

Daniel shook Emma's hand, and she warily watched him, silently praying Regina hadn't stolen his heart as well.

She really didn't need a repeat of Graham.

And yet...

Watching Regina... she had changed so much. Henry had mentioned something to her of the sort, and she finally started to realize how hard Regina was really trying. She had helped her and Mary Margaret, taken care of Henry, and miraculously hadn't burned the town down.

That showed something, if anything at all.

When they were leaving her house, she could've sworn she saw the beginning of a smile.

And somehow, the Evil Queen didn't seem so evil after all.

Maybe, evil wasn't born after all.

Maybe it was made.

* * *

Back in the town hall, Regina waited for the Wraith to come. Somehow, she could tell it was coming for her.

Charming burst into the room, slick and sweaty.

"What the hell are you doing?" He gasped.

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

"I... have... no... clue," Charming said in between breaths, continuing his foolish panting. Regina sniffed.

"Getting rid of the Wraith. For good." Regina held up the scroll.

"The Wraith... how do you know it's going to show up here?" Charming asked incredulously.

"I can... tell." The lights began to flicker.

"You fool!" Regina snapped angrily. "You're going to get yourself killed!"

"No, you don't understand!" Charming panted. "L-look..." The lights flashed off eerily. Charming held up a shaking hand, and Regina gasped.

He was marked.

"The hell did you get that?" Regina said with a gasp of her own.

"There was... a chain... and..." The doors rattled and wind howled down into the room.

"Never mind that, we've got to stop the Wraith!" Regina panicked.

The doors burst open.

Papers of all sort flew and flapped around the pair as they watched the Wraith burst into the room.

The scroll blew out of Regina's hand.

"No!" She screamed. Charming froze. Regina had a clear sight of the paper, but the Wraith was right next to Charming, and began to suck his soul.

Charming?

Or the scroll?

She squeezed her eyes shut.

"For the love of Pete!" She seethed, sending a blast of fire into the Wraith's direction.

Flaming papers fluttered down.

The Wraith was momentarily stunned, as was Charming. It was the perfect time to find the scroll.

Where?

She looked around the room, frantically watching each distorted paper glide down. Far too graceful for a situation like this. Her eyes landed on the yellowish parchment.

Perfect.

She snatched at it, and blew...

Wrong paper. But now the Wraith was back to attacking Charming.

"Is this ever going to end?" She gasped as she watched on hopelessly, sending another ball of fire in the direction of the Wraith. She was on the floor now, crawling around to find that one sheet of hope.

There it was.

Right in front of her.

She made a leaping dash towards the thing (although it wasn't THAT fast, she had been more of a cook than an athlete,) and scooped it up.

Only one problem.

The squid ink was gone. The wind had blown it off.


	12. Wreck-it Wraith

"It's gone!" Regina gasped. Now there really was no hope.

Wait. A. Minute.

"Rumplestiltskin, I summon thee!" It had worked last time, but there was no response.

Shiz.

She hurled another flame at the Wraith.

"Rumplestiltskin!"

"You can call me Mr. Gold if you would like. It's a bit easier to remember, of course." Regina spun around.

"Of course, you can always call me whatever you find comfortable."

"I don't have time for this, DO SOMETHING!" Regina screamed. Gold shrugged.

"Is that any way to ask for something?"

"I don't give! Just help him!" Gold shrugged.

"All you had to do was ask, dearie." He produced a paper covered with writing.

In squid ink.

Regina grabbed for it but he pulled it back.

A roar signaled that the Wraith was back to its senses.

You know what?

Screw deals.

She tackled Gold to the ground, yanked the sheet out of his hands, and blew shakily onto the paper.

The Wraith fell onto the ground and vanished in a cloud of dust.

Charming fell to the ground, gasping for air.

Gold stood up.

"Next time, you should think before you act," He said gravely, dusting himself off.

Within a moment he had vanished.

* * *

"Why?"

"Why what?" Daniel looked up into Regina's eyes.

"Everything. If you blamed Snow White for my death, why would you go and save her husband tonight? Why go through all that trouble? And, I know you told me already, but why did you blame Snow? I want the truth, Regina." Regina took a deep breath.

"I... I blamed Snow... because it was her fault!" Daniel gave Regina a troubled glance.

"She was a child, Regina."

"Yes, and a brat at that. I wasn't fit to be a mother, you know that." Daniel sighed.

"Continue, please." Regina closed her eyes.

"Snow... she didn't keep a secret... she couldn't. She was so happy... I couldn't blame my mother... because.. because I loved her! I hated Snow. She had everything... she had the ending I should've had... When I created the curse, though, it wasn't just to get revenge. I was trying to get a second chance at life. But I wasn't the creator. Gold was. And I thought that, well, I would forget. Sometimes it's easier to let go of painful memories, even if it means losing everything." Regina sighed.

"And that's why. But wouldn't you know? It would seem you would." Regina took another breath.

"Well... I had told others... and heard... but I hoped I would forget. I was fine with not remembering though, as long as I got another chance." Regina swallowed. Hard.

"And... um, then I met Henry. He turned everything upside down. But through the years, we were pulled further apart. And he still meant so much to me, no matter how little I meant to him. Having no one... that is truly the worst curse of all."

Daniel took Regina's hands into his, staring at them intently.

"But, you couldn't move on. You never fell in love again. Why?" He looked up.

"I couldn't. How could I?" She sniffed. "I love you, and you alone, Daniel." He motioned for her to continue.

"And, when you came back, that's when I realized that I needed to change. For Henry's sake, for yours, and for mine. That's why I'm trying to help others. I'm trying to redeem myself. I know that if I don't, we can never be together."

Daniel cupped Regina's cheek. "No, Regina, I would follow you to the ends of the earth. Cursed, or not, I still love you. Good or evil, I don't care. But the reason I want you to change so much is because I know you aren't being true to yourself." He placed a hand over her heart. "You're still that girl I knew so may years ago, even if you changed. I can still see her. And, you don't have to be this person. You can be so much more."

"Daniel..."

The two shared a deep, passionate kiss.

* * *

"Excuse me?" The figure treaded down the hall wearily. "Hello?" A short and stubby man looked up.

"Who... who are you?" The woman shrugged.

"My name is Cora. Actually, I was wondering if you knew where I could find..." Cora held out a magic bean. "...Another one of these." The man shook his head and hid something behind his back.

"Excuse me, madame, but just what are you doing here?" He gasped.

"You fool, I know a liar when I see one!" She ripped out his heart in one swift movement.

"Now, I want that bean. Whale stole one, and I need it." He shakily handed her the object.

"Very good." She squeezed his heart to dust, and it was over. Taking the bean, she thrust it onto the ground, creating a portal. She grinned evilly.

"Time to get back to Hook."

* * *

"Hook?" The younger man turned around.

"Good to see you. I'm surprised you haven't run off yet," he commented.

"Do you still have the bean?" Hook nodded.

"Right here." He held up the translucent seed up. "Did you get the information needed?" Cora nodded.

"No surprises for us," she exclaimed.

"And... has she lost everything?" Cora shook her head.

"Not quite... she's recovered something she'd lost. But, I swear, things won't be that way for long."

"And... did you get the item necessary to defeat my crocodile?" Cora held up a bottle filled with slimy fluid.

"Squid ink. Mind if I-" Cora shook her head.

"This has to be done carefully, Hook. I went alone for a reason, that reason to find out everything about Storybrooke. As we said, no surprises." She sniffed, and took the bean from his hand.

"Ready?" Hook nodded. She smiled.

"Time to do some farming."

"No time to waste, not when you have a daughter to return to, and I a crocodile to skin."

* * *

**_Sorry! :P I couldn't resist, this is weird, I know, but I thought it would make sense. Cora did it once, why not again? I promise I won't be a James Patterson, the next time she dies, she dies. (If there is a next time. Heheheh.) Ya, of course I couldn't kill Cora, she's actually my second favorite character. I kind of just was thinking, since she wanted no surprises, why not check things out for herself? Just as a precaution, since she and Hook have important matters to attend to._**

**_Also, the squid ink. Hook must've figured something out, but needed the ink as a precaution. Just tell me what you think, I hope this didn't weird you guys out too much. :P  
_**

**_Thank you, please R&R!_**

**_Reviews:  
_**

**_StarshipRanger: Of course not. Even though I find Charming a pretty boring character, _****_he's still fun to write for. :) Happy reading! _**(No offense, of course, it's just that I don't find his history that interesting, but I suppose he's okay... The only character I hate on the entire show is King George.) 

**_(Oh yeah, and... EVIL REGAL!)_**

**_jcat30: Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed that chapter! :)_**

**_sevy MMAD: Well, glad to know you've been *hooked*! Thanks for reading, and reviewing!._**


	13. Stranger

"Hello, I was wondering where I could find a, uh..." The stranger glanced down at a paper. "Granny's? I'm meeting someone there." Snow nodded.

"Uh-huh."

Snow had gotten a call, and heard someone was at the border. Their car apparently had broken down right next to the town line. But, seeing this... this was a complete stranger.

Or was he? Was he another fairy tale character?

"Umm, well, sorry to say..." Snow glanced around nervously. "Umm, Granny's is... being rennovated. So, you, shouldn't... come." She lied. The stranger nodded.

"Well, can I at least get a name?" The stranger sighed.

"I'm Neal."

"I'm S- Mary." She would've shaken his hand, but she was scared of what would happen to him should he cross the town line. He kicked at the dirt near the line.

"What's this line here for anyway?" Snow glanced around nervously.

"Uh, umm... for... uhm..."

"Well, Miss Mary, do you know an Emma Swan?"

Snow swallowed. How did he know who Emma was? How did he know her? WAS THIS A STALKER?!

"I'm sorry, no, I don't. I've never heard that name before. So, you can kindly excuse yourself." He snorted.

"Excuse myself outdoors? Wow, I knew I was an outcast... but this?" Snow tried not to smile. "Now, I'd like to know who you really are." Snow's smile faded away.

"Pardon?" Neal smiled.

"Yes, you see, I was invited by a man who goes by the name of August Booth here. He told me about a certain curse..."

* * *

Granny and several others tossed Regina shady looks but didn't say anything.

"You know, we don't have to eat out if it makes you uncomfortable." Regina shook her head.

"Nonsense, I have a right to eat out." Granny slammed the food down on the table and stomped away. "Maybe not," She muttered.

"So, the uh, eggs look really good," Daniel commented, trying to change the subject.

"I've never had them. Mind if I try some?" Daniel smiled.

"Sure." He gave her a mouthful. From his own fork.

Best. Feeling. Ever.

Until there was a boom in the distance.

The tables rattled and the lights flickered on and off.

"What is that?" Regina squeaked.

"Maybe it's a technical difficulty or whatever you call it?" Daniel suggested.

The Wraith burst into the room and...

"AAAAAH!" Regina shrieked, jumping out of bed.

"Hey, hey, hey, it's okay, it was just a dream," Daniel said reassuringly as Regina panted for breath. Regina groaned and slid back under the covers.

"I'm so tired... every night after night, I get murdered, attacked, possessed... I'm tired of it all. Why can't this just stop?" She clutched her head and rocked back and forth.

"Regina, it's gonna be fine, I promise you," Daniel assured.

"I'm sorry. I just... can't get any sleep." Daniel shook his head.

"Hey, I found this thing at a store. I was saving it for a special occasion, but I think it's better for now." He left the room. What a gift.

He returned a bit later with a tangled-up string on a hoop.

"What is that?" Regina inquired.

"It's called a dream catcher. I picked it up at a shop," Daniel explained. "It's supposed to catch all the bad dreams and, when the sun rises, it burns them." Regina smiled.

"Well, that's very useful." Daniel hung it up on the dresser knob.

"Hey, you know, it's great having you back," Regina said.

Daniel sighed. "I wonder why you could never let me go."

"Hmmm, I wonder why I could never let go of the most wonderful person I've ever met in my life." Regina pretended to be confused. Daniel simply smiled sadly.

"I'm glad-"

BANG.

The sound echoed through the distance.

Crashes sounded from downstairs.

Regina gulped.

"This can't be good," She muttered. Some shouting could be heard from outside.

"Another mob," She mumbled. "Wait. Shouldn't we stay here?" Daniel said, concern saturating his voice.

"No." Regina slipped out of bed quietly.

"Wait. Regina-" She slammed the door shut and ran outside.

* * *

"Open up!" A voice shouted. Regina groaned and yanked the door open.

"WHAT do you want? AT THIS TIME?" She hissed. A fairytale character, one she didn't know, got right up in her face.

"What business do YOU have murdering innocent fairytale characters?" They screamed.

"Pardon me," Regina started, but the crowd noise got louder and louder. She slammed the door shut in their faces. She pressed her weight against the door. The banging got louder and louder, and in the corner of her eye, she saw Daniel rushing down to the kitchen.

"Regina?" He gasped. "What's going on?"

"They're looking for blood," Regina squeaked. "They think I killed someone. I think. I can;t understand mob language." Daniel clutched his heart.

"No. Nonononono-" She rushed over and gave him a fast kiss.

"No. No. NO! Daniel!" He collapsed on the floor, and she rushed to help him, the door giving way as she did.

The mob ran in and everything went black.

* * *

"Regina!" She opened her eyes, then shut them immediately. The light was too much for her to bear.

"Daniel?" She croaked. She tried to sit up, but she was too weak to do so. "What happened?" She looked around.

All there was were green bars.

Shiz.

And a bed.

Double shiz.

"Why are we here?" Regina said, fear creeping up her spine. Daniel swallowed.

"Do you know a August Booth? Pinocchio?" Regina weakly nodded.

"Well, everyone says you killed him."

"What?!" Daniel looked at Regina sadly.

"I'm sorry... I couldn't even protect you..."

Regina lifted up an arm and gasped.

Her arm was covered in bruises.

* * *

_**Reviews:  
**_

_**sevy MMAD: Aww... you really know how to compliment a story... Thank you!**_

_**StarshipRanger: Thank you for reading, dearie!**_

_**And with that, I will see you next chapter!**_


	14. Heartbreak

Regina had just finished healing her wounds with magic when King George burst into the room.

"Out. Now," Daniel snapped. Regina had a feeling he was well aware of who he was.

"Excuse me, but I don't believe that that is within your rights," George huffed.

"You shouldn't be here," Daniel growled. Regina looked at him in surprise. Normally, Daniel was never like this.

It was the first time she could see his protective side.

George shook his head.

"I am not here for you, I'm here for her." Regina stood impulsively.

"What do you want?" George smiled.

"Help me kill Charming's family." Regina shook her head.

"No. You leave that family alone. They have done nothing."

"Oh, what's this? A moment ago, you would've happily wrung Charming's neck." George bitterly remarked, glancing at Daniel.

"Hmm. Who have we here?" George snapped.

"No.. no one. He's a friend." George grinned evilly.

"By the way he jumped at me and fought like a wildcat to keep me from dragging you into this cell, I think he's much more than a friend."

"Get. Out. NOW!" Daniel roared. Regina was sure George flinched, even if only on the microscopic side.

"Very well. But I'll be back, you have my word." George darkly commented, slipping out of the room, leaving Regina alone with Daniel.

"What happened?" Daniel sighed.

"Well, I suppose it's right for you to know."

"After they knocked you out, I found out whoever that guy was was responsible for riling up the mob in the first place. Then he dragged you over here, and locked you up, as well as me. I'm so sorry, Regina, I failed to protect you." Regina smiled.

"No, this isn't your fault. Watch, we'll be out of here in a second." She flicked her wrist at the lock to make it unlatch.

Nothing happened.

"What?" Regina inched closer and tried again.

Nothing happened.

"Gold!" Regina yelled. Daniel tossed he a worried glance.

"Why are you calling him? It's not like he'll-"

"Magically appear?" Daniel blinked as he saw Gold himself walk right past the cell. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but I come and go like the wind. Like, riding by bubble."

"Well, we can't all come and go by bubble," Regina hissed. "Now, about this lock. What have you done?" Gold grinned.

"Nothing, dearie." Regina scowled deeply. "A subject more of interest would be, what have you done?" Regina froze. Gold's smile widened.

"I told you, didn't I? I told you all magic comes with a price. Well, this is the price one must pay to destroy it. Looks like your power's weakening."

"It isn't," Regina snapped. "I was able to heal bruises like normal just a minute ago." Gold's smile faded away, replaced by something far more sinister.

"Trust me, dearie, that doesn't prove anything."

"Well, I think a healing spell is much more complex than breaking a lock, now, isn't it?" Regina snapped.

"What's going on here?" Daniel asked.

"You don't want to know." Regina whispered.

The lights flickered and Regina tensed. Gold laughed.

"Well, dearie, I believe that I can't help you. With either of your situations."

"Wait... either? We have more than one situation?" Regina grimly nodded.

"Magic. And..." The lights flickered and the doors rattled.

"Cora."

* * *

Cora slunk through town, that evil grin plastered on her face, followed closely by Hook.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw several confused fairytale characters, probably those from another land, or too young to know who she was. She was all right with that. Until she so fortunately bumped into...

Charming.

He took one look at her and unsheathed his sword, but she threw him aside with magic. He hit the wall and was knocked unconscious. Such a pitiful existence, she might as well end it. That would send everyone into a panic, something she actually quite enjoyed. But one scathing glance from Hook assured her she could kill him at a time that would better suit her.

"Where will she be anyway?" Cora shrugged.

"No idea." Hook gawked.

"Well, then, where will he be?" Cora shrugged once more.

"I have no clue." Hook groaned.

"Do you mean that we have come all this way, and you have NO STINKING CLUE where to find what we came here for?" Cora shrugged.

"Consider yourself lucky I haven't killed you yet. You're of absolutely no use to me, and the only thing keeping you alive right now is my mercy." Hook swallowed and said nothing, but the look on his face clearly stated that he would rather not get skinned alive.

But that wasn't his fate. That was the fate the crocodile had in store.

And that fate was most certainly unpleasant.

* * *

Emma slapped Neal in the face at first sight. Of course, he had expected that much, he hadn't exactly left her on best terms.

"Are you done?" Neal sat there while Emma had a tantrum on him.

"How.

Could.

You.

Do.

Such.

A.

THING!" she yelled in between punches. Neal sighed.

"Emma, you have to let me explain. Please."

"I don't care WHAT you have to say!" Emma screamed. Some passerby people started to look in their direction.

"Emma, please, let me tell you and then you'll understand."

Emma looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "All right. But it'd better be quick." Neal sighed.

"What happened was, as planned, I went to go get the money. But then this guy started chasing me." Emma did not look amused. "And he ended up stopping me. But it turns out, he wasn't a cop."

"Who was he then?" Emma inquired.

"He introduced himself as August Booth. Showed me something I'll never forget. And, he told me about you..." Emma froze. "..and your destiny. He said I had to make the right choice, I had to leave you." Tears were streaming down Emma's face.

"Why? Why did you leave me?" Neal sighed and tried to take Emma's hand, but she pushed him away.

"Emma, you have to believe me, it was the hardest decision I had to make in my life. I couldn't be greedy, you could be so much more."

"But we would've been happy." Emma sniffed.

"Robbing general stores and supermarkets? Emma, we would've gotten you nowhere." Emma wiped away her tears.

"Emma, please, forgive me," Neal begged. Emma turned away.

"I'm sorry, Neal, but things have changed." And she walked away briskly, leaving Neal alone and heartbroken.

* * *

**_Muahaha! Two chapters in one day? :) Well, thank my reviewers for that! *wink*_**

**_I'm in winter break right now, so I possibly will be writing more. _**

**_Thank you, and please R&R!_**

**_Reviews:_**

**_sevy MMAD: Well, most EvilRegals are! 3 Hope you enjoyed this chapter!_**


	15. Losing Everything

"Hello, dear daughter." Regina stared in complete shock.

"No. No. NO. You're dead. I killed you." Regina mumbled. Daniel was pale white. Cora laughed.

"And, I see you've brought your dear stable boy with you." Regina stood in front of Daniel.

"No. You leave him alone!" Regina screamed. Cora laughed.

"You silly girl! I thought you had changed. Apparently not. Don't you know that love is weakness?"

"Why have you come here?" Regina snapped, backing Daniel away from Cora as she approached the cell step by step.

"Don't I have a right to visit my daughter?" Cora flicked her wrist and the lock popped open, the door swinging ajar. Regina stared at any escape options.

I wish I could fall in a hole right now, Regina thought.

"Darling, I've only come to visit." Daniel stepped out from behind Regina.

"Leave us alone." He hissed, fists clenching.

"Oh, you foolish boy, don't you realize that you're no match against me?"

"Maybe not, but what Regina and I have is more powerful than any kind of magic." Cora laughed.

"Love is weakness."

"You love too." Cora froze, her smirk vanishing.

"How dare you! I love no one!" She snapped, her tone turning icy.

"If you don't love anyone, why are you here?" Cora extended an arm.

"Noooooooo!" Regina screamed, pushing Daniel out of the way. Instead of Daniel's heart, hers had been ripped out. Cora swallowed hard.

Regina stood there in shock, face turning pale. She had seen many hearts, but this... this was shocking.

Her heart was completely black.

* * *

"Well, dearie, I believe that shop sign said closed," Gold said as he turned around. But he froze at who he saw standing there.

"Oh, sorry, I would've knocked, if only I had a fist," Killian Jones hissed. "Where are my manners?" He paused. "Oh, I seem to not own any. My apologies. Now, where is my hook?" He asked, extending his one hand.

"Like I'm gonna give it to you," Gold snapped. "You better see yourself out, unless you wanna be impaled on a spike for the town to see." Hook laughed, stepping closer.

"Actually, I'm not only here for my hook."

"What are you here for then?" Hook smiled.

"What's-" Belle walked in the room. "Oh. Sorry, am I interrupting any-"

"Belle, you should leave," Gold said in a almost calm voice, and Belle pivoted and ran out of there.

"Oh, who was that? Rather pretty, I'd say. I'd also ask you if... perhaps, you've forgotten all about-"

"Enough."

Hook walked right next to Gold.

"Actually, I'm curious to know how you got here." Hook laughed.

"Travelled with a rather good friend." Gold froze, eyeing Hook as he circled him.

"Get out. Now." Gold snapped, fury dripping from his tone.

"Very well. Just know that this isn't all you'll be seeing of me," Hook exclaimed as he slipped out of the shop.

* * *

"What-" Cora had seen many hearts, thousands of hearts, but none like this. Regina stood, pale, watching as the heart left off a grayish glow. Daniel swallowed hard.

"I'd... like my heart back, now," Regina said in a small voice. Cora shakily handed it over, staring dejectedly at her daughter.

_I did this_, she thought. _I wanted the best for her, wanted her to have everything I never could have, but now... now I finally have realized... that all she wanted was a life of her own._

_She's better off without me._

Daniel shakily took Regina's hand and walked right past Cora, who had sunk down to her knees.

Some things were better forgotten.

* * *

"You... need to do this," Regina remarked shakily. Daniel shook his head.

"Regina, I don't... I don't know if I can do this." Regina took his free hand in hers.

"It'll be okay. I promise." Daniel took a heavy breath and slowly jabbed the beating organ back into Regina's empty chest. There were a few moments of stillness, of silence, then the sound of Regina's panting.

"Thank.. thank you." Daniel looked around, concerned.

"What happened to your mother?" He asked, standing up. Regina sighed.

"I- I don't know. She seemed pretty miserable," Regina gasped, standing and approaching Daniel at the bedroom window. She placed a cold hand on his shoulder.

"I don't know what we do from here on. I have a entire mob after me, for committing a crime I had nothing to do with." She sighed. "Maybe this is my fate, after all. Maybe it's our fate, actually. We might be destined to be apart." Daniel cupped her cheek and she turned her head, staring deep into his eyes.

"We will be together. True love is the strongest love of all. Good always defeats evil." Regina sighed and turned away.

"But, you're the good one, and I'm the evil here." Shouts could be heard from outside. Regina stiffened.

"They're back," She whispered. Daniel closed the window and walked over to Regina.

"It'll be okay, Regina. I promise you, it'll be okay."

"Daniel... I love you..." The two shared a kiss before Regina closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry..." She flicked her wrist and a purplish light detained Daniel.

"What are you doing?" Daniel gasped. Regina looked up at him.

"Getting what I deserve." Daniel stared at her.

"You're not really-"

"Yes." She turned the door knob.

"Regina! Wait! They'll kill you!" She stole one last glance at him.

"It's what I deserve."

"Please! Regina, I love you! I don't want to live without you!"

The door creaked shut.

* * *

**_Cliffhanger! Big one. (Let's hope Regina doesn't die!)  
_**

**_I will see you all next chapter! Until then!_**

**_Reviews:_**

**_sevy MMAD: Totally get what you mean about Rumple. He's one of my favorite characters, although I wish Regina and him didn't bicker so much. Thanks for reviewing!_**


	16. The Woman In Blue

_Well, this is it_, she thought as she walked down the stairs one foot at a time, one last time.

"Open up!" Someone from outside screamed. She opened the door. But she was surprised at what she saw.

Emma.

And the rest of the Charmings.

Apparently there was no mob.

_Damn, they make a lot of noise._

"Can I help you?" Emma sent the death glare in Regina's direction.

"Yes, I would like to ask you something." Regina laughed.

"You made so much racket over this?" Emma scowled at her.

"Someone crossed over the border." Regina froze.

"What? Who?" Emma stared at her straight in the eyes.

"Your mother."

"W-what? Why would she do something like that?" Regina screamed.

"That's not it. A stranger came across a few minutes ago. How?" Regina frowned.

"Shouldn't we be more concerned about my mother?"

"Why should we? She's gone," Charming intervened. Snow whispered something into his ear. "She knew about the border spell?" Snow nodded and the two got lost deep in conversation.

"Well, I want to know how. How did this person get across? He can't be a fairytale character, now, can he?" Regina frowned. "Well, there is a spell keeping outsiders out, right?" Regina nodded.

"Well, actually, there's a difference. If you leave, the you forget everything. And if you come in..."

"You forget everything?" Regina shook her head.

"No. You can't cross. When they get near, they forget what they were doing and just leave, or their car breaks down or something and they go home. The only way to cross is if you're a fairytale character."

"Then how did he get in?" Emma said, bordering hysterical. Regina shrugged.

"Maybe he's a fairytale character. Look, Swan, I'm not in the mood for this... Someone... is... uhh, waiting for me upstairs." Snow turned to Regina.

"Actually, we're here for another reason."

"What?" Regina snapped, losing her cool.

"Umm, a cell at the sheriff's station was destroyed, and there was a mob a while ago in search of you. They said you killed August." Regina froze.

"Who's August?" She asked innocently. David laughed.

"You, my friend, are a terrible liar. August is missing and noone's seen him." Regina grimaced.

"Maybe so, but I have nothing to do with his disappearance. I'm already occupied with much more important matters."

"You can say all you want, but I don't think you've changed. We might not be able to lock you up, but we can do one thing, and that's protect Henry. I don't... we don't think you can see him anymore." Regina's heart almost stopped beating.

"Excuse me?" Emma swallowed and stepped to the side.

"We should get going. Just stay away from my son." The trio exited, and Regina slipped inside and leaned against the door, a frail cry bubbling out of her throat.

She had lost Henry.

* * *

"Regina!" Regina flicked her wrist and the spell vanished. Daniel ran over and gave her a huge hug.

"God... I was so worried..." Regina teared up.

"I'm sorry, Daniel... I couldn't let you get hurt. Not again." Daniel released her from their hug and looked deep into her eyes.

"Please don't ever do that again," He said, sounding hurt. "I couldn't bear it..." He whimpered. A few moments passed. He looked up, determined.

"How did you get away?" Regina paused.

"It was the Charmings, actually, not a mob. Apparently a stranger has crossed the line, and apparently, my mother has, too. Oh, and I apparently killed August or whatever his name is." Daniel let out a sigh of relief, embracing Regina again.

"I'm so sorry, Daniel." He looked up again and Regina could see tears welling up in his eyes.

"How could you want to leave me?"

"No, no, Daniel, I would never want to leave you," She said despairingly. "It's just that... I could never forgive myself if something happened to you. Not again." Daniel nodded.

"I forgive you, Regina. Because I love you. And I know you won't leave me. Not again."

* * *

"Would you happen to know where I am?" A woman in blue said, shakily standing with a hand to her head. She was greeted by a girl in a yellow gown, seemingly confused.

"Oh, I'm sorry, are you from here?" The woman in blue shook her head.

"I don't know... at least, I don't think I know." The girl in yellow nodded.

"Oh, I'm Belle, by the way," The girl continued, extending a hand for the woman in blue to shake. She didn't.

"I'm..." The woman in blue didn't know what her name was. So she said the first thing that came to mind. "I'm... Regina." Belle shifted uncomfortably.

"That's odd," she said, making a face. "Are you sure that's your name?"

"Regina" nodded. As far as she knew, the name Regina sounded pretty familiar. Belle smiled and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, I... uh... nothing. I shouldn't judge people by their names." The woman in blue raised an eyebrow.

"I don't really know... where, or who I am... but I think... Regina sounds familiar." Belle gulped.

"I don't know anyone who doesn't know Regina... but I'll ask you again. Are you from here?"

"I told you, I don't know."

"Regina" seemed to be losing her patience, Belle thought, so she simply nodded and continued smiling.

"I'll tell you what, I'll take you on a trip around town. Maybe that'll help you remember something."

"Regina" nodded and followed Belle back down the path, over the bright orange town line, and back through Storybrooke.

* * *

"Yum. What's that delicious smell?" Daniel asked, walking down the stairs with his hands behind his back.

"Oh, it's some eggs." Daniel smiled and handed Regina a black velvet box.

"What's this?" Daniel smiled.

"A gift." Regina popped open the lid. Inside was a necklace, silver and round with a blue stone in the center.

"Daniel, it's beautiful!" She laughed and gave him a large hug. "What's the occasion?"

"The occasion is-"

A bang could be heard outside. Both smiles vanished.

"What was that?" The pair went over to the window to see Cora and Belle on the right side of the street, mouths shaped in wide Os. On the other side, the left side, stood Rumplestiltskin.

And there was a smoking revolver in his hand.

* * *

_**Reviews:**_

_**sevy MMAD: Haha, well, I hope you liked this chapter! Thanks for reviewing!**_

_**WARNING: Ridiculously long note ahead!**_

_**Oh, yes, I forgot to mention this last chapter, but for some recent chapters, instead of Snow and Emma going through the portal, it was Cora. That's because they didn't know about the squid ink. Aurora ended up tied up in a different location.**_

_**Cora crossed through unharmed because Regina and Gold were preoccupied with other matters at the time and didn't find out about Cora through Henry, because he didn't get affected (burned), so everyone thought it was a dream.**_

_**Lastly, Cora and Hook got back to Storybrooke with a magic bean (they sent Cora there to find out about the place) and everyone else by the hat.**_

_**Hope this clears up some confusion, this all went like this because I wrote before I watched (oops!) and then... well, yeah. Hehehehe...**_

_**Please R&R!**_


	17. Mother

"Gold, put the gun down," Regina stated firmly. He laughed.

"I'm doing what I should've done long ago."

"She's confused, she doesn't know where she is or who she is!" Daniel explained. Gold snickered.

"Then it's an even better time to go for it."

"No, Gold," She grabbed his arm. "Don't even think about it." Gold shook Regina off and tried to pull the trigger, but Regina blasted him back with a spell. The other "Regina" watched the two go back and forth.

"Go, now!" Regina yelled, and the Other Regina furrowed her brow.

_She seems familiar, somehow..._

Belle grabbed the Other Regina's hand and ran down the street.

Rumplestiltskin was going to have to do some explaining.

* * *

"You shouldn't have interfered."

"Did you not hear a word I said? I told you she has no idea who she is or where she is!" Daniel yelled, irritated. Gold turned to look at him.

"Oh, I know, dearie. But, shouldn't you know yourself, more than anyone, what she's capable of? Sometimes, it's easier to kill the sleeping beast." Daniel froze, but didn't back down.

"Well, yes, I've seen what she's capable of, but sometimes, it's better not to be a coward!" Daniel exclaimed. Regina flinched.

_That's gonna strike a core_, she thought.

"I am not a coward," Gold hissed.

"Then prove it. Leave everyone alone. Including Cora."

"You don't know what she's done... what she's capable of," Gold sneered. "I'd even say she's worse than Regina herself."

Regina gave him the death glare. If looks could kill, the entire town would be charcoal.

"That's not of your decision," The Queen snapped, slowly cooling off.

"Oh, I see how it is then," Gold crooned, shifting awkwardly.

"Get. Out." Regina retorted. "Leave us alone." Gold raised his revolver and eyed it carefully.

"Very well, then. Rest assured, I will be back," he said, slinking away in the manner a snake does.

Daniel turned to Regina.

"I can see why you hate him so much."

* * *

Granny paled visibly at sight of Cora.

"Oh, hi Granny, um, do you know this woman?" Belle leaned over so no one else could hear what she had to say next. "I think she crossed the border, or something. She lost her memory." Granny opened her mouth and closed it, similar to how a fish does.

"Do you know who that is?!" Granny hissed into Belle's ear. Belle frowned.

"No, I was hoping you would, though."

"Everyone knows! That's Regina's **mother**!" Belle paled.

"Oh... but, she seems really nice." Granny pulled Belle closer.

"That woman is worse than Regina, or so I've heard. Stay away from her!" Belle shook her head.

"B-but-"

"Excuse me," Regina said, slipping in between the two awkwardly. "Other Regina" frowned at the sight of Regina.

Odd, right?

"Oh, hi, um, mom?" Regina tried, knowing perfectly well where this was going. Daniel slipped in and stood right next to Regina.

_It's been a good life._

"Oh, sorry, do you... do I know you?" Cora questioned. Daniel nodded.

"Oh, um, it seems you had a slight... accident. This is Regina, and I'm Daniel, the fiancé." Cora shook his hand.

"It seems I had some slight confusion, but you do look familiar. Sorry to ask, do you know what my name is?" Regina looked at Daniel.

"Oh, it's Cora."

Everyone currently in the restaurant turned at the mention of _that name_, took one look at Cora, and ran for the hills. Regina swallowed.

"Umm, big bake sale," Daniel covered. Cora raised an eyebrow.

"Bake sale? All for..."

"Hey, so, um, where are you staying?" Cora shrugged.

"I can't seem to remember." Regina gulped.

"Maybe you could stay at-" Granny grabbed Belle's arm and fled from the room.

"Well, Granny's doesn't seem to be an option," Regina mumbled.

"Well, I was actually curious as to why someone fired a warning shot at me?" Cora inquired, a deep frown on her face. Regina looked around and shuffled nervously.

"I- um... I have no idea. Maybe... he was trying to protect Belle?" Regina tried. "After all... to my knowledge, she's already been kidnapped twice." Daniel stared at his shoes, like he was expecting them to speak to him.

"Maybe this isn't the best place to discuss," He quietly remarked. Regina nodded.

* * *

"Belle." Belle walked right in, still annoyed.

"You shouldn't shoot people, not before an explanation," she huffed.

"Belle..." She walked right out of the room.

"Please, let's just talk about this." Belle made a hesitant U-turn.

"Fine."

"Cora is a danger to this entire town, Belle. She has the power to detonate all of Storybrooke, with a mere flick of her wrist." Belle frowned.

"She didn't know what was happening, she was confused."

"Ever heard of the term, shoot first and ask later?" Belle grimaced.

"Maybe so, but I would never apply it."

"Belle, darling, I was just trying to protect you." Belle sighed, and playfully spun the globe she was standing by.

"Sometimes being overprotective can only lead to harm. Please, try to change." She took his hands into hers. "If not for yourself, then for me." Gold smiled painfully.

"Okay, dear, I promise." Belle grinned.

"Deal?" She held out her hand. Gold shook it.

"Deal."

There had only been one deal he had ever broken, and he was determined to keep things that way.

* * *

After Cora had been dropped off at a very hesitant Granny's, things were quiet back at Regina's house.

"I can't believe she let her stay," Regina mumbled, holding her forehead. Daniel smiled.

"Thank you, Regina." She looked up.

"Huh? For what?" She paused expectantly.

"For changing. Thank you." She hid a smile.

"Daniel... can I tell you something?" He nodded.

"Sure."

"You make me want to be a better person."

* * *

_**Reviews:**_

_**Anarra: Of course! Thanks for reviewing!**_

_**sevy MMAD: Well, luckily for you, you have me interested to see what happens next, so of course I'll continue! Thanks for your support!**_

_**Starship Ranger: O-oh. I suppose I'll have to keep that in mind the next time we practice archery, then. O_O**_

_**Guest: Oh, thanks! XD I always feel out of character, and I can't exactly get the vocab right (everyone sounds the same) but it's good to know that someone's enjoying this!**_

_**Thank you for your patience! Merry Christmas!**_


	18. Sneaky Snake

Bang. Bang. Bangbangbangbangbangbang-

"What could you possibly want at this hour-" Regina found herself face-to-face with one no other than...

Henry.

"Henry! What are you doing here?" Henry slipped under her arm and into the living room.

"I snuck out, I had to see you!" He exclaimed. "They all think you're the one who killed August, I mean... uh, Pinocchio!" Regina frowned.

"Henry, it is four o' clock in the morning." What in the world could possibly be going through his head?

"Yep, and it's the best time to sneak out." Regina sighed.

"You'll worry them sick, and as much as I'm pleased at the fact you're here, I think it's best for you to return home. I know I didn't appreciate you running off all the time."

Henry guiltily stared at Regina. Unlike most other people, Henry looked you in the eye, no matter what the situation, whereas most others would stare at a crack in the wall or the carpet if they were uneasy. That quality that Henry possessed was something Regina herself used to own, until her mother stole it from her as she did so many things.

But things were so much more different. Regina was changing back into the person she used to be, so much more happier than before. Having no one was truly the worst curse of all. But that was a curse easily broken with true love.

But what surprised Regina most of all after the curse had been broken was how he wanted her protected. She knew, somehow, deep down, all those years of bland hot chocolate and trips to the arcade, all those years of birthdays and cooking, that that had mattered somehow to Henry. And it hurt her above all things for him to run away. It made her feel like she was inadequate, like he was slipping away. And as much as she used to hate the Charmings, Regina found herself growing to like them. And no matter what they did to her, she couldn't allow Henry to do to them what he did to her.

It just didn't seem right.

She might've been thrilled at the fact that he was here, yes, but it meant nothing if he was only hurting others in the process.

"All right, mom, but at least let me tell you what I came here for."

Mom. That word changed everything.

"Very well." Henry smiled, something he rarely did to her.

"Okay, so, I don't think you killed August. And I think I have proof. The only reason you were blamed is because he went missing, and he couldn't have moved, not when he was wooden." Regina raised an eyebrow.

"He's... wood."

"Yes, he turned into wood, he's a puppet. Anyway, magic came here, and the reason August changed into wood in the first place was because _he had no magic_. And if magic came back-"

"He would change back." Regina realized where this situation was going. "But there's something I can't understand. Why not just tell Emma this?" Henry hung his head.

"She won't believe me." Regina's blood boiled at this remark.

How dare she! That little-

"That's why, you have to prove yourself to them like you proved yourself to me!" Henry exclaimed.

"Henry, there is a lot of stress in that area, I don't think-"

"You just have to figure out a way to prove to Emma that August is alive. This is just like Mary Margaret's situation, the only way to prove yourself innocent is to show everyone there was no crime in the first place." Regina's mood soured a little at the mention of that... that... thing she had done.

"Okay, Henry, I promise I'll try, but you have to head home. You can't run off, not anymore. Understand?" Henry nodded and she patted him on the head.

"Okay, I'll get my car and I'll drive you home."

* * *

"How the hell did you get in here?" Emma hissed at the sight of Neal. He shrugged. Emma groaned. "Don't tell me you're still breaking and entering." Neal shook his head.

"Naw, but I guess I still have it in me." He flashed her a toothy grin.

"Get. Out. NOW. Before my parents come and rip you to shreds." Neal froze.

"Parents?" He said, a slight quiver in his voice.

Not so long ago, neither of them had had any parents of any kind. They needed each other, and that was one of the reasons they had gotten along so well. So perfectly. But this? This was an unexpected twist.

"Yes, I have family here. Neal, I'm sorry, but you have to go."

"Emma..."

"Well, Neal, how about this. I'm the sheriff here, and I can throw you in a cell for breaking into my house." He laughed.

"You, the law? The world really must be coming to an end." Emma tried to stifle a giggle but she failed. "See? You're still the same person you were long ago. I know you still love me, deep down."

"Says the man who broke into my house." Emma countered. "You should go," She said after a long pause.

"Do you really want me to leave?" Neal asked simply.

"Yes." Was Emma's brief reply.

He was gone before she even knew it.

But the reason she had wanted him to leave wasn't because she didn't love him.

It was because she loved him.

* * *

_**Reviews:**_

_**sevy MMAD: Hahah, well, I couldn't resist! Much to my friend's horror, Cora is my second fave character, and I can't help but think if she lived thinking differently, she really could've been a better person, although that might be my crazy train of thought.**_

_**Glad to know you're having fun with this!**_

_**Evil Regal1999: Oh, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the constructive criticism, as mentioned, it's greatly appreciated!**_


	19. Operation: Python

Well, there were several bugs, as Regina would like to call it, in "Operation Python," which was what Henry had named their "mission" to prove Regina innocent. Regina knew it'd be hard to establish trust, especially towards a kingdom she had ruled with terror for so long (not to mention cursed,) but that and the fact that the Charmings were her opponent this time.

The Charmings.

Not charming at all, in the least sense. Even though Henry was visiting Regina, she couldn't help but feel like they weren't treating them how they should've. They were always too preoccupied with hats, or with boyfriends, or with portals, yada yada yada. It was enough to drive someone insane. Everyone was alive and fine and safe, and there were no dangers or threats, except for King George, or perhaps Cora.

But they wouldn't be threats. Not for long, at least. Regina already had an "Operation" of her own to protect everyone.

She wasn't going to kill anyone, no. But she had a plan, that plan being to cross George over the town line. No one would object, because no one cared about him.

But it was then when she realized how much they were alike.

George was alone.

It was said that any curse can be broken by true love's kiss, but nothing could break her curse. Her curse is the worst of all. Regina had no one. Until now.

She had a loving son now, and a perfect fiancé.

She can't go through with this. She won't.

Killing George would be like killing herself.

* * *

Regina sighed and stared dejectedly at the town line. That orange line marked the very border of their lives.

But she wanted to cross the town line. She wanted to be free, she wanted to live a new life with Daniel.

Across the border lay a new life. A life where she wouldn't be hated. A life... of her own. A fresh start, and all she had to do was cross.

But things weren't going to be that simple. She closed her eyes, the wind whooshing past her and enveloping her like a cloak.

"Regina." She turned and saw Daniel standing there, like an apparition. He was too good for her. She didn't deserve him.

"Daniel." The two embraced tightly before drawing apart.

"The town line." Daniel said simply. Regina sighed.

"I wish we could cross it. Start over, if you know what I mean." Daniel nodded.

"Someday." The two smiled and hugged tightly again.

"Let's go home, it's so chilly out here." The two started back down the path but froze at the sight of Cora.

"O-oh, sorry, we were just-" Cora simply smiled.

"I went out for a walk. It gets pretty cramped in Granny's, and I decided to explore." Cora motioned towards the town line. "What's that?" She inquired.

"U-um, it's... the border line. But you shouldn't cross it. It marks... unstable ground," Regina quickly said. Cora nodded.

"Well, I suppose... but what are you two doing out?"

"Taking a walk." Cora smiled.

"Yes, we seem to be somewhat alike. I can believe that we're related." Regina forced a smile.

"Well, we can walk you back to the hotel. Unless it's against your wishes." Daniel gave Regina a concerned look but she brushed it off. She wanted to spend time with her mother.

...God, it'd been an eternity, but she truly felt compassion for Cora. She couldn't imagine what her past must've been like, especially because of the way she'd acted.

She was, in a way, exactly like Regina. But it was then when she realized Cora was crying.

"What is it?" Cora wiped away the tear and pretended she hadn't been crying, even though both Daniel and Regina had seen it.

"It's just that I realized something."

Regina froze, studying Cora carefully. She still couldn't trust her, that was for sure, but nonetheless she still felt that strong mother-daughter attraction, like how magnets snap together. Considering the circumstances, though, Cora and Regina were anything but magnets.

"Somehow I get the feeling no one really ever liked me before," Cora noted sadly. "But, somehow, I get the feeling... you want me gone too."

"Of course not, if we did, would we be walking you home? No, I definitely don't want you gone." _Though, in a way, I'm glad she lost her memory. It gives us another chance_. Regina thought. Cora smiled.

"I suppose."

"Fresh starts are everything," Daniel said, as if reading Regina's mind. "I think I know that better than anyone." He sent a smile in Regina's direction.

"Oh, so you do, now?" Cora asked. Daniel nervously chuckled. Sure, even though Cora seemed to be a different person now, he still was understandably timid around her. After all, she had been the one to rip out his heart.

"It's a long story."

"I assume you'd rather not speak of it."

"It's complicated. Anyway, have you remembered anything yet?" Regina asked, smartly changing the subject. Cora sighed.

"No, not much yet. But..." She paused to fiddle with a strand of her hair. "I did remember something about a well..."

...No. It couldn't be. The well was filled again? Then it came to her.

Cora had come through the well to Storybrooke the first time. Lake Noctos... the well... it all made sense now. Cora noticed Regina's expression.

"Something wrong?" Regina put on a fake smile.

"Oh, no, everything's okay." Cora nodded and the trio continued down the path.

...They were so far from okay.

And Gold was going to be getting a visit. That was for sure.

* * *

_**Hi, everyone, happy Christmas Eve! I won't be updating tomorrow, but I doubt I'll be missed *chuckles nervously and checks for angry mob* since it's Christmas tommorow!  
**_

_**So, thanks for reading! Merry Christmas to you all!**_

_**R&R!**_


	20. Man At The Door

"You knew." Gold turned around.

"Well, dearie, I know many a thing, but not what you're talking about, not now, at least." Regina walked towards him, running her hand alongside the globe and spinning it. Her eyes were focused on Gold.

"Yes, you do. You knew about the portal, yet you did nothing. You could've stopped Cora long ago, but you chose not to. Why?" She snapped firmly. Gold laughed.

"Well, dearie, you can rest assured I knew no such thing." Regina frowned at him.

"Well, this is what I think. I think that you didn't want to kill her until I showed I still felt something for her. I think you were waiting to kill her." Gold laughed harshly, the way a blizzard whips at your sides.

"I don't think so, dearie. While I wouldn't raise an eyebrow in question had you been the one, you can't accuse me of such atrocity. Besides, I have far more important ways to spend my time." Regina smirked.

"See, that's exactly where you go wrong. You have all the time in the world. All the time to scheme anything you wish." Gold stood protectively in front of his metal suitcase.

"What are you hiding in there?" Regina could tell she was making Gold feel uneasy. Which was good, in a way.

"Nothing that you should be concerned about." Regina laughed.

"Well, honestly Gold, I think you are trying to gain the upper hand. I'm guessing I don't intimidate you anymore," Regina remarked.

"Oh, is that so?" Gold chuckled. "Don't see how that's possible, especially as you never intimidated me." He fingered a gold coin in his hand, tracing alongside the intricate upraised details. "...Never intimidated me, in the past... present... or future."

Regina stormed out of his shop.

* * *

Knock, knock.

"Who's there?" Emma yelled from the couch where she was sitting. On the tv, a rabbit, maybe Bugs Bunny or something, hopped around.

"It's me," Snow said as she walked in.

"If you expect me to say 'Hi, mom,' that would be terribly awkward, considering we're around the same age." Snow smiled.

"Well, actually, I was taking a walk around town and I bumped into Regina. She seemed pretty upset about something." Emma snorted.

"Serves her right, she killed August..." That name brought back bad memories. In a way, Emma wished he had still been alive. So she could go and punch him for separating her and Neal. And then thank him.

August had truly helped her better her life, in a way. God knows where she might've been if not for him. He led her to Storybrooke, to her parents and her friends and so many other things. Storybrooke was home, this Emma knew, because she was truly herself here. It was so nice to finally settle down, "get roots," call someplace home.

"Wait a minute... August... he's Pinocchio!" Emma nodded.

"Well, yeah, it'd explain why his leg was turning into wood. Well, why he actually turned into an entirely wooden puppet." Snow sighed.

"Emma... how is he... an adult? How did he end up in Storybrooke, or in this land... anywhere?" Emma frowned.

"Good point... hmm..." Realization struck her. "Oh, yeah! That's right! I remember him telling me he came through the wardrobe with me!" Emma's brow furrowed. "But if that's the case... why didn't you come through with me?" Emma was standing a length away from the couch now, much closer to Snow. It made Snow feel uneasy.

"I- I was told that... that only one could come through the wardrobe!" Snow's eyes widened. "W-wait a minute... Pinocchio was Jeppeto's son... Jeppeto made the wardrobe..."

Two and two clicked together.

"We were tricked!" Snow yelped. "There were two slots, and August took the first!" Emma froze.

"Ah- that means..." Emma gasped.

She really wanted to punch August right about now.

* * *

"Oh, hey, Regina." Regina stormed into the room.

"That's it. I've about had it with this... this-" Regina was interrupted from her rant when Daniel kissed her right on the lips.

"Still grouchy?" Regina shook her head.

"But, I'm still tired is all."

"You left in such a rush," Daniel commented. "What was the matter?"

"I don't think you'd like to know."

"Well, I suppose, if that's what you wish..." The two embraced again and walked outside.

* * *

Emma lay lifelessly on her bed. She was too lazy to get up, and too sad to even open her eyes.

There was a loud tapping noise on her window, and she finally summoned enough energy to roll over and look a what was probably a branch tapping the window.

But, no. Of course that was too typical. Instead of a branch, there was just Neal.

Yes, typical indeed.

"Emma, listen, I know you're probably not happy that I'm here, but-"

Emma ran over to him and cried into his shirt.

"Whoa, uh..." Neal was a bit shocked at this... cuddly approach, but he was going to have to deal with it. "What's the matter, honey?"

"I... I really want to punch someone now..."

"Don't punch me. Last time, you almost got me sent to the hospital." Emma laughed, despite the situation.

"Listen, Emma... just tell me. Please? Sometimes it's better not to be the clam."

And she did. She told him everything. But it was what he said afterwards that made her heart stop.

"Emma... August isn't dead. He's actually at the front door right now..."

* * *

_**Reviews:**_

_**sevy MMAD: Aw, thanks! Hope you had a nice holiday, too! :)**_

_**WildCroconaw: Guess I got you "Whoa'd", huh? :P Thanks for reading an reviewing!**_

_**Starship Ranger: **__**Well, I hope you didn't mind my taking a break! XD Thanks for reading!**_


	21. The Beginning

"You're dead." Emma dryly remarked. August laughed briefly.

"Well, as you can clearly see, I'm very much alive-"

Emma punched him in the face, retreating back as the wood met flesh.

"Ouch. What the hell are you made of, steel?"

"No... wood." Emma shook her hand off.

"I think I got a splinter." The look on August's face showed clearly he was not amused.

"Really. Emma, what was that dead thing about?" He looked out the open door into the cold. "I get people running from me like I'm the Grim Reaper himself." Emma sighed and ran her hands through her hair.

"Honestly, I'm glad you're alive, but while you were gone, everyone thought you were dead." August groaned and held his head.

"Don't tell me... did you think I was murdered?" Emma gulped.

"Y-yes." August punched the wall.

"Who did you think it was?" Emma swallowed hard.

"Regina."

* * *

"Daniel." She walked over to where he was standing by the window.

"Yes, Regina?" He turned to see her.

"I- I was thinking. All of this... It doesn't matter. Not now, anyway. But what does matter..." She paused to stroke a flyaway strand of hair. "Is that we'll be together. You're the only thing that keeps me going now, like my power supply. I can't imagine life without you. I'm... I'm just so in love with you, Daniel." He smiled.

"I was out at a shop yesterday, and... I had an idea that matches our situation." He kneeled and pulled out a dark brown velvet box.

The lid popped open.

"Regina... will you marry me?"

* * *

It was a quiet day, well, quite miraculously. Storybrooke had usually been a quiet town, before the curse was broken, of course. But now, things were different. Something big had just happened at Regina's house.

"Yes, yes yes!" Regina went and gave Daniel a huge hug.

"Well, that's good, I'm happy you didn't turn me down," Daniel said as he slid the golden ring onto her finger. She smiled, lifting up her hand to see it better.

"I said yes once before, how could I say no this time?" The two kissed, and it was right about them that a loud knock echoed through the kitchen. Not a very good time, actually, but things were changing. Radically.

"Hello?" Regina was still in giggles when she opened the door. To see Emma. "Oh, hi Mrs. Swan!"

Emma, for one, was surprised- no, amazed in the attitude change in Regina. Definitely didn't seem evil, not anymore. Although she supposed it'd been inevitable. One could only imagine what Mary would be like without her Charming... wait... she already knew.

"Uh, hi... Actually I came over here to apologize."

"What for?" Regina's confusion was genuine. Emma had to post this on Youtube someday.

"Because... August showed up on my doorstep... alive." Regina froze.

"Oh... well, what did you do then?" Emma shrugged.

"Said hi." _Oh, she'll never realize_, Emma thought smugly. "Anyway, Regina, I am so sorry for the confusion." Regina smiled. For real. It gave Emma the creeps.

"Oh, that's okay. It doesn't matter, not now, anyway." Emma gulped.

"Well, actually, I waited to come over here... for a long time." Regina waved a hand dismissively.

"It's okay, it really doesn't matter. Just take care of my son," Regina said, and Emma could see a sliver of remorse. Just a little.

"Of course... well, actually, Henry has been asking to see you for a while..." Regina perked up.

"Really?"

"Yes, so I thought... well, I suppose he can come visit here sometimes..." Regina smiled.

"Yes... I'd like that."

The door closed and Regina smiled at her ring when all was quiet.

* * *

"Do you, Regina Mills, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to care for-"

"Aw, just get to the point already!" Leroy shouted, scowling at the priest. Regina felt her face flush but said nothing.

She was amazed at the crowd that had come, even if it was small. Snow, Emma, and even Charming had come, Pinocchio and Dr. Hopper, everyone. Well, almost everyone. A few odd looks went in Leroy's direction but no one said anything.

"I do." Regina smiled in Daniel's direction. This moment was one she had yearned for her entire life. It wasn't exactly what she had imagined, but it was okay. Because no matter what, from now on, they would be together.

"I do."

"You may now kiss the bride."

And they did.

And somehow, everyone knew Regina had finally found her happily ever after.

THE BEGINNING

* * *

**_Okay... Don't kill me... yet! __It is NOT over! Just to clarify so noone summons Maleficent to burn me to a crisp. It's not done. Just so you guys know. No, there will not be a delay in updating, the next chapter will go up tomorrow (unless something catastrophic happens), and everything will be normal._**

**_So please don't kill me!_**

**_Reviews:_**

**_Mari: Well, of course! :) Don't worry, I promise tons of fluff in the future chapters!_**

**_sevy MMAD: Good thing, actually, next chapter I was planning to-_**

**_No spoilers! XD Sorry, but something with Rumplestiltskin will happen soon. You have my word!_**

**_Thank you all for reading, please R&R! And don't kill me... yet..._**

**_I'm also thinking about posting some previews for ahead chapters in the author's note... like sneak peeks... _**

**_Tell me what you think!_**


	22. Lies Are Made To Cover Up The Truth

"May I have this dance?" She smiled and took his cold hand into hers as they swayed in rhythm to the music. Everything felt perfect now, like they had discovered a missing piece to a puzzle. It was like someone had switched a light on in a dark and lonely world.

"How long had is been since you danced?" Daniel inquired. Regina frowned in deep thought. She had no idea how long it had been. Her husband had never danced with her, well, not like he'd want to, he hated her all along. Everyone knew she hated her marriage, but that was something Regina would rather not talk about, not at this moment, at least, when they were both so purely happy.

"I- I don't know. I mean, I can't remember. I think last time was with you, in the stables, when no one was looking." Daniel sighed. He didn't mind that, no, but the matter he had really wanted to discuss kept on nagging at the back of his mind, and he somehow knew that he was going to have to bring it up now.

"Regina... there's something I need to tell you. And that's... I'm sorry. I should have believed you about Cora." Regina shook her head. They shouldn't be worrying about this, not when everything was coming together.

"Daniel, we don't have to worry about that. We're here now, together, and we can get through this." He stroked her cheek. Regina smiled. Daniel was truly her reason to go forward. She couldn't deny that. Every time she saw him, her heart skipped a little beat. She felt five pounds lighter. She could swear she could fly. That's what love meant.

"I've always wondered... where did you get that scar?" He inquired, gently lifting up her chin and tracing a finger along her lip. Regina smiled sadly.

"_My mother_," She wanted to say. "_She pushed me with magic and I fell onto a sharp rock_." But she didn't say anything of that sort. It hurt her not to tell the truth. Especially to Daniel.

The phone rang, and she would've gone to answer it had she been alone in the room. But not now, especially as Daniel might think she was avoiding answering the question. So she didn't answer the phone, rather Daniel.

"I was riding once, and I fell off." She lied. Daniel didn't have to know where she'd really gotten it from. He nodded gently, signaling he understood she'd rather not talk about it, and moved his hand to her shoulder, the pair continuously swaying to the music. She hated lying to him, but it was for the best. Daniel would never have to know. The phone rang again that moment, but she still didn't bother to pick it up.

Besides, lies were meant to cover up the truth. And sometimes the truth was better not seen, not heard. She was interrupted from her thoughts when the timer in the kitchen beeped, signaling the soup was ready.

"Oh, Daniel, I think the soup's getting cold." Daniel smiled. Maybe now was a good time to have a little fun. He stared at Regina's hair, cropped short like she had always wanted it.

"Let it ice over." The pair spun around, Regina's skirt flapping up. She laughed. It wasn't an Evil Queen laugh, it was a genuine laugh. This was one of those times when she realized how much happier she had become in the last few months. She had changed, everything had changed. Despite the fact that she knew there was still danger, she could relish the moment now, soak up the happiness.

"Come on, Daniel, I have to go turn off the stove." Daniel groaned playfully but otherwise said nothing.

"That being said... wherever did you learn to cook?" Regina stirred at the soup, shrugging.

"I sort of just... taught myself. It was kind of necessary because of.. Henry..." Regina stopped stirring gradually.

"Henry... your son." Regina nodded and wiped a tear away. "You never told me how you found him."

"It was Gold." Daniel nodded solemnly. Regina took a deep breath. "I think it was to lead Emma here, to Storybrooke. But, I would never give up Henry for anything. Even if to preserve the curse. Because..." She exhaled. "Because that wasn't true happiness. This... now it is. This is what I wanted." The two of them got closer and closer and their lips met.

Yes, this was pure heaven...

Daniel stroked her hair with one hand after they had released.

"You cut your hair," He said softly. "Like you always wanted to."

"Yes, I figured since my mother wasn't here, who would care if I cut it short? She isn't here to tell me it makes me look like a man." Daniel nodded.

"Well, I like it. It frames you perfectly." Regina nodded.

"It's definitely a lot lighter. It was kind of an abrupt change, but I've become accustomed to it."

The lights flickered.

"What's going on?" Daniel held Regina a little tighter next to him.

"Hang on, it's probably the fuse box. Maybe a power outage-" She disappeared into the hallway.

"Wait.. hang on..." It was no use. Regina had left. Daniel sighed.

* * *

Ten minutes had passed and Regina had not returned. But now, he was starting to worry.

"It's probably just... because the house is so big.." He reassured himself. He sneezed quite suddenly. "Huh... smells smoky in here-" His eyes widened when he saw a puff of smoke drift by.

The house was on fire.

* * *

"Regina! Regina!" He raced down the hallway, but was horrified to see Regina underneath a pile of rubble.

"Regina!" She looked up at him in relief.

"Oh, Daniel, thank god..." She cried. She stopped to let out a loud, grainy cough. "Could you... get this off?" She asked in between her hacking. Daniel heaved the rubble off and helped her up to her feet.

"What caused this?" Daniel said, helping her limp across the hall. He stopped when he saw a figure dressed completely in purple, a funny-looking black crown on her head. Regina went white.

"Maleficent?"

* * *

_**Hi everyone! Here's the next chapter as promised! :) **_

_**I've decided to start doing previews, of course, if you'd rather me not, PM me. Or, better yet, maybe I'll start a poll in my profile... yeah, I think I'll do that.**_

_**Well, thanks for reading yet again!  
**_

_**See you next chapter!**_


	23. A Fiery Friend

"Oh, I see, so that's how it is, then," Emma said, playfully slapping Neal on the shoulder.

"Well, I suppose you could always just-" Neal stopped in the middle of his sentence when Emma bumped into a stranger- literally.

"Oh, sorry, Gold, I guess I wasn't looking." Emma mumbled as Neal helped her up.

"Oh, how lovely to see you, Emma." Gold frowned upon seeing Neal. "Who's this with you?" Neal froze upon sight of Gold.

"Hang on." Emma reached into her pocket at the sound of her phone ringing to silence it. "Sorry about that. Gold, this is my boyfriend, Neal."

When she looked up, both men were gone.

All that remained was a purple swirling mist.

* * *

"Maleficent?" Regina blinked again, unsure whether this was an illusion due to her fall earlier, but no, she was there, staring at her with those same cold eyes. Only this time, they portrayed another emotion, one she had never seen in Maleficent's eyes. BUt the thing that scared her was that what she saw in her eyes was exactly like what she had seen after Henry left. After she lost Daniel.

Then she realized.

"Maleficent, what are you... doing here?" She simply raised a hand and the flames were extinguished. Daniel blinked in surprise.

"Wha-"

"Regina." She went and embraced her old friend, then groaning at the sight of her bleeding ankle.

"What are... you doing here?" She coughed. Daniel looked Maleficent straight in the eye.

"Look... I don't know who you are, but Regina obviously does. You know her too." Maleficent nodded. "She needs help. Can you help me take care of her?"

Everything started to get fuzzy, and lifting a hand up to her aching head, Regina realized that her head was bleeding too.

The last thing she saw was Daniel's concerned face.

Then everything went completely black.

* * *

**A FEW HOURS AGO**

* * *

"Regina!" There was only silence on the other end. Whale anxiously paced the floor.

He had been running tests earlier, and he had made a glorious discovery. He now knew how to bring back the dead in perfection. But he had first needed a test subject. No one cared about Maleficent, was what he thought.

So that's how it started, with him taking the elevator and stealing her... dragon ashes.

What he discovered from there was incredible.

Maleficent had two forms, dragon and human. Apparently Emma killed her dragon form, but not her human form.

And so it was he discovered how to bring her back.

A turn of events occurred when he found out Maleficent and Regina had been the best of friends.

Maleficent sat patiently at the table, well, chained to the table, even though she was practically harmless. No staff, no dragon form... not like it mattered.

But things had changed, and as she soon realized, she could cast simple fire-related spells. Not like it would help, she couldn't even start a fire, only put one out.

Not much help. At all.

"You know, I could just go over to her house if you unchained me from the table," Maleficent said, impatiently tapping her foot on the table. Whale laughed nervously.

"No, just because I was on the phone doesn't mean I didn't see you messing around with my tools back there and putting out my candles." Whale snorted. "Just stay put." Maleficent really wanted to pay her friend a visit.

But after the third or fourth call, Whale gave up.

"Just go yourself." He sighed and hesitantly took out the key. "I'm not in any sort of mood to go and say hi..." The clasp popped open and Maleficent was gone faster than you could say "fire."

* * *

**PRESENT**

* * *

Regina awoke with a pounding head. She lifted a hand up to her head, only to discover that it was completely healed. Of course. Healing spells didn't help much with the pain, but more with the wound. What happened? She moaned and tried to sit up, but everything was blurry. She closed her eyes, hoping to fall into the gentle arms of unconsciousness... until she remembered. Everything. The fire... Maleficent!

Apparently she wasn't going to be getting any sleep.

Gathering all the energy she could muster, she picked herself up off of her couch and limped a little towards the kitchen. She could barely make out the voices of Daniel and Maleficent.

"Regina!" Daniel rushed to help her right after she stumbled a little.

"Wh-what's going on?" Regina managed to squeak out. Daniel and Maleficent exchanged worried glances.

"Hey, maybe you should, um, get back to sleep." Regina shook her head.

"I want to know what's happening..." Maleficent and Daniel exchanged glances. Again.

"Sit down, first." Daniel picked Regina up and carried her to the couch. Even though she was exhausted, Regina managed a weak smile. Always putting her first... that's what mattered to Daniel. She now realized this.

It wasn't the first time she realized so, but she knew that Daniel was her one and only true love.

"Uhm, want to go first?" Maleficent glared at Daniel.

"Very well, then. You see, what happened was..."

* * *

"Baelfire?" Gold asked once the purple mist had cleared away. Bae went white.

"No... no... How did you get here? You shouldn't be here!" Neal gasped, hoping this was a dream.

"Bae, please listen-" Gold started, extending a hand to place on Neal's shoulder.

"Don't call me by that name," Neal spat, swatting Gold's hand away. "You haven't changed one bit," He commented looking Gold over.

"I-"

"No. You can't talk. Not now. For all my life, I've been alone. I learned not to let anyone in, most of all, you. Stay away." Neal backed away from Gold. "And you're still using magic." He laughed coldly. "I thought you would have learned after all this time." He shook his head in distaste. "I don't want to see you."

Neal ran out of the shop.

He was gone, and it was Gold's fault.

* * *

Preview:

"Gold?" He turns around, the wind arguing against his hair and whipping it back in tendrils of brown. Today is a windy day, strangely enough. Storybrooke doesn't get much wind.

"Yes, Regina?"

"Do you... um, know where I can get a pet?" Gold chuckles in that way of his.

"Why not just try the Storybrooke Pet Shelter?" He asks simply. "Or, is it something more than that?" Regina furrows her brow.

"I suppose it IS more than that. How about this, I'll go an adopt a child for you." Regina tries to stifle a laugh. She gets the irony of the statement, of course, even though she's fairly sure he doesn't.

But if she could get him to cross the town line... Yes, that would be worth it. She doesn't need Gold... this is a perfect opportunity.

"Yes, sure."

* * *

_**Reviews:**_

_**sevy MMAD: Of course! I couldn't end it there! ;) **_

_**I suppose I'm lucky no one's burned me to a crisp, actually...**_

_**EvilRegal: Eep! Funny thing, actually, I just finished writing this chapter yesterday (I prewrite chapters for the weekend) and I got a notification saying I should bring Maleficent back! **_

_**I nearly died... lol...**_

_**Starship Ranger: Eep... no sleep for me tonight... ;) On that note, hahaha, I wonder why they always play with that globe? I dunno... see ya next chap!**_

_**Ann: Don't worry, I won't go nuts on the previews, maybe make them a few-liners. Also, I think I'll take them down after I post the next chapter so I don't get accused of duplicates... *sigh***_

* * *

_**And that's all! Please R&R!**_


	24. Pets For Thought

"All of that happened?" Regina asked in pure disbelief. "All this time, no, so little time and effort, and you were brought back?" Maleficent sighed.

"Yes, it is the truth." Regina swallowed. She couldn't believe all this time... so simply... it could be done. She only wished Whale had discovered a fool-proof way to bring back the dead before he tried Daniel... although he had succeeded, in a way, the second time around. It was incredible progress, she realized, from the first time he tried with Daniel. She pursed her lips and let out a tired sigh. A nap would be nice right around now.

"I have a question, though. Did you start the fire?" Regina doubted she would, even after all they had been through. Even though she hadn't noticed it, gradually Maleficent had become... soft. Like how Regina was now. Maleficent snorted, sucking in a breath.

"Heavens, no. I have no powers here. Not like I would intentionally set your house on fire, anyway. Even though we've been through a lot, I wouldn't do that." Exactly what Regina had been thinking.

"But, you put out the fire," Daniel pointed out. Regina frowned in confusion. She recalled the vine incident with Charming and wondered if what Maleficent had done had simply been luck. Or maybe, as Charming would put it, an anomaly. Whatever that was. She had been educated on teacups and ballgowns, not on anomalies.

Maleficent shrugged. "Apparently that's the only ability I have as of now." She sighed. "Magic is different here." Yep, probably a so-called anomaly. Maybe she could look it up on that thing called the Internet someday. Or maybe a dictionary.

"I know. Had some issues with that for the longest time." Maleficent leaned forward towards Regina, like she was looking for some long-lost memory buried in her head. Her magnificent eyes burned into Regina's skull.

"How long was I... in there?" In her dragon form. Underneath the ground. The entire time. If Regina felt anything right now, it was pure guilt. She was reluctant, yes, to tell Maleficent, but in the end, it wouldn't matter. Not now, anyway.

"... 28 years. But we were frozen. You couldn't possibly have noticed the time passing." Maleficent drew back and nodded simply. There was silence for a few moments. Understandable, considering she had just told Maleficent she had locked her up as a dragon for 28 years.

Not exactly something you'd expect from your _best_- excuse her, _only_ friend.

"Daniel, would you mind going to your room?" Daniel looked at Regina in confusion. "I think it's better if I talk to Maleficent in private. I'll be fine." Daniel nervously left the room. She watched him leave. Well, at least he had left at all. She felt a pang of guilt, he probably just wanted to make sure she would be okay. Poor thing.

"Why did you bring me here? To... this land without magic? You could've left me in my castle, no? We both read that curse... you may bring who you want. Dead, or alive." Maleficent asked after Daniel had left. Regina wasn't about to tell a lie, not another one, not when she was trying to change. No, that didn't sound right. Even if she didn't realize it herself, Regina had changed herself.

"Because... you're my only friend." Maleficent laughed. "Obviously not anymore... I see you have your dear stable boy back after all." She smiled.

Somehow, Regina knew Maleficent had forgiven her.

"Did you take my advice on a pet?" Regina laughed. She felt a bit guilty about that unicorn incident. Well, maybe a lot.

"Well... yes. In a way." Maleficent straightened.

"Do tell."

* * *

_"Gold?" He turns around, the wind arguing against his hair and whipping it back in tendrils of brown. Today is a windy day, strangely enough. Storybrooke doesn't get much wind._

_"Yes, Regina?"_

_"Do you... um, know where I can get a pet?" Gold chuckles in that way of his._

_"Why not just try the Storybrooke Pet Shelter?" He asks simply. "Or, is it something more than that?" Regina furrows her brow._

_"I suppose it IS more than that. How about this, I'll go an adopt a child for you." Regina tries to stifle a laugh. She gets the irony of the statement, of course, even though she's fairly sure he doesn't. _

_But if she could get him to cross the town line... Yes, that would be worth it. She doesn't need Gold... this is a perfect opportunity._

_"Yes, sure."_

_Three days later, however, he'd come back with Henry. She hadn't known what to think of it. She didn't even think she was thinking at all when she told Gold to go get a child... what had she been thinking? She couldn't take care of a child! In fact, she was ready to tell Gold he had to return it, or do whatever to get rid of it. But as soon as he placed the wrapped bundle in her arms, she fell in love with it._

_So much for getting rid of it._

* * *

"And that's all. I raised him myself. And... well, he isn't here, obviously. He's with his birth mother." Maleficent shook her head.

"When I told you to get a pet, I didn't mean a person." Regina laughed coldly, despite the situation.

"Well... nothing really goes as it's supposed to, does it?" She frowned. "The curse... everything." Maleficent.

"Dear, I told you not to cast that atrocity." Regina sighed.

"Yes... well, I must say that I'm so sorry for that.. truly..." Maleficent smiled.

"Well, that's a new attitude, I must say... looks like that 'pet' really helped..." Regina laughed. "And, darling, don't worry about that little scuffle... I completely forgive you." Regina smiled.

"Thank you, Maleficent... for everything. You're always looking out for me."

* * *

Preview:

"Y-you okay? Neal?" He spun around and shook his head.

"No, no. I'm anything but okay." He sighed. The two still continued walking, Neal backwards and Emma forward. "Emma... Do you know who Mr. Gold is?" Emma nodded.

"Yeah, sure. He's a pawnbroker here. In the other land, though, he goes by 'Rumplestiltskin.'" Neal groaned, and stopped walking, Emma following suit.

Yes, Emma was sure something weird was going on here.

"Emma... I don't know how to tell you this. Mr. Gold... he's my dad."


	25. Plays And Ploys

"What was that? Last I saw, Gold and you disappeared. I was scared the two of you ran off together," Emma joked, surprised that Neal just kept walking past her. That definitely wasn't like him. She ran up behind him to keep up with his ridiculous pace. Neal ran his fingers through his hair, and Emma's smile vanished. She had never seen him like this before. "Y-you okay? Neal?" He spun around and shook his head.

"No, no. I'm anything but okay." He sighed. The two still continued walking, Neal backwards and Emma forward. "Emma... Do you know who Mr. Gold is?" Emma nodded.

"Yeah, sure. He's a pawnbroker here. In the other land, though, he goes by 'Rumplestiltskin.'" Neal groaned, and stopped walking, Emma following suit.

Yes, Emma was sure something weird was going on here.

But, then again, something weird was always happening. After all, Storybrooke really couldn't be considered your average town.

"Emma... I don't know how to tell you this. Mr. Gold... he's my dad." A hand would've flown up to Emma's mouth, had she been a prissy. But her eyes just widened.

"Oh... that wasn't... in Henry's book," She said slowly. Very slowly. Neal sighed.

"Well.. on the bright side, at least, now... we're both fairytale characters?" Emma tried. Neal hit himself in the head with his hand.

* * *

"Daniel... sorry for making you leave the room," Regina said on her way upstairs. She froze. The door was open. That was odd. She would think that Daniel would've left the door closed. She walked inside warily, jumping when she saw something move. She relaxed, realizing it was just the curtain.

"Daniel?" Worry clouded he senses as she walked deeper and deeper into the bedroom. She almost jumped when the silky red curtains splashed onto her shoulders.

Yes, everything was anything but fine.

Daniel was gone.

* * *

"Daniel? Daniel!" She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up fearfully. But she relazed when she saw it was-

"Daniel!" She ran and gave him a hug. He chuckled nervously. "Oh my god, I was so worried something happened to you when-" She stopped when she noticed something in his hand. "What's that?"

Daniel shrugged nervously. "Umm..." Regina snatched it out of his hand, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Really? You had an invisibility cloak on?" Daniel smiled and took it back from Regina. She shook her head.

"That was supposed to protect you from Cora, not allow you to listen in to _my_ conversations with _my_ friends." He chuckled. So he thought this was a joke, then? Not funny. Not funny at all. In fact, she was about to tell him this, but he beat her to the talking.

"I suppose I'll have to make up for that somehow." He leaned forward and kissed her right on the lips. "How about now?" Regina pulled him closer and the pair toppled over onto the floor.

* * *

"What time is it?" Regina mumbled as she rolled over to see the time on the digital clock she kept by her bed. In glowing blood-red letters it read 8:40 a.m. She groaned and extended an arm over the side of the bed, dangling halfway out.

At this moment, Daniel had woken and raised an eyebrow in confusion upon seeing his wife halfway off of the bed.

"Regina?" No answer, unless you counted her long, drawn-out groan as one.

"Regina?" More groans.

"I'm almost... Out... Of... Bed..." She slurred in response, sliding further off of the bed. She really didn't want to get up. After all, there really was no reason to get up. No work, no chores, nothing. She didn't want to even attempt to get a job. It would end badly. It wasn't like the Evil Queen was about to get a job so easily, anyway. She slid back under the covers and Daniel shook his head and still somehow managed to smile at Regina's little... ploy? Play? Well, whatever you would call this.

"Come on." Daniel got out of bed, walked over to Regina's side and scooped her up in his arms, kissing her gently on the forehead. "We should get up now." Regina slowly scooted out of his arms and onto the floor. He kissed her on the forehead once more before heading off to his separate bathroom.

"I'll see you downstairs for breakfast," Regina mumbled, heading towards her own bathroom. Once inside, she splashed some cool water onto her face to clean it, and went to dress out of her wrinkled sleep clothes into a t-shirt and some jeans. It wasn't like clothing mattered now anyway. She wasn't going to a fashion show, and she wasn't trying to gain the upper hand on anything.

After she had gotten dressed she slunk downstairs, still slightly sleepy, and went to look in the fridge for anything to cook for breakfast. Then, stupidly, she realized that she was looking in the pantry. Red-faced, she walked over to the fridge and selected some eggs, ham, and sausages. She turned up the stove and let the meat and eggs cook for a while.

"Smells good." Daniel came downstairs at this moment, and she smiled and kissed him on the cheek. That's when things got out of hand, and instead of cooking, the couple were locked in each other's embrace.

Something apparently was burning, but it didn't matter.

It wasn't like she was going to a cooking contest today, after all.

* * *

Preview:

"So, Cora, why did you want me to come out here?" Regina nervously asked as they got closer and closer to the bright orange town line. That line was bad news, and she was fairly sure somehow Cora knew as well, even though she had lost her memories. Pfft. Probably just her imagination.

"To enjoy the nature. Isn't it gorgeous out here?" Regina nodded. "You know, yesterday I think I remembered something. Did you know that 'Regina' means 'Queen?'" Cora continued. Regina nodded.

"Yes, of course." She wondered how Cora could be getting her memory back. She'd thought the border spell was permanent, but she supposed not. Maybe it was because Cora had never been cursed in the first place? She would have to find out about that later.

"You know, Regina, all this time, you've probably lived up to your name." Cora turned and looked her right in the eye, and stopped walking. Regina swallowed uneasily. "Until you ran right back into the arms of that stable boy. Do you know how much the trip here cost me?" Cora snapped, and with horror, Regina realized she had regained her memory.

"Now, my dear, let's see you start. Again." And with that, Cora flung Regina over the town line with magic...

* * *

**Reviews:**

**Mari: I guess you'll have to just read and find out... ^^ No spoilers here, except maybe in the previews...**

**Guest: :)**

**EvilRegal: Hahaha, well, how could I resist? Maleficent is one of my favorite characters on the show! :) Thanks for reviewing!**

**sevy MMAD: Hahaha, well, I suppose that matches my strange personality! Glad you still liked it! ^^**

* * *

**Hey, everyone, just saw Les Miserables yesterday, and it was absolutely fab! Sorry for the short chapter, though. I didn't have a lot of time to write.**

**See you next chap!**


	26. Rainy Days

"So, Cora, why did you want me to come out here?" Regina nervously asked as they got closer and closer to the bright orange town line. That line was bad news, and she was fairly sure somehow Cora knew as well, even though she had lost her memories. Pfft. Probably just her imagination.

"To enjoy the nature. Isn't it gorgeous out here?" Regina nodded. "You know, yesterday I think I remembered something. Did you know that 'Regina' means 'Queen?'" Cora continued. Regina nodded.

"Yes, of course." She wondered how Cora could be getting her memory back. She'd thought the border spell was permanent, but she supposed not. Maybe it was because Cora had never been cursed in the first place? She would have to find out about that later.

"You know, Regina, all this time, you've probably lived up to your name." Cora turned and looked her right in the eye, and stopped walking. Regina swallowed uneasily. "Until you ran right back into the arms of that stable boy. Do you know how much the trip here cost me?" Cora snapped, and with horror, Regina realized she had regained her memory.

"Now, my dear, let's see you start. Again." And with that, Cora flung Regina over the town line with magic...

* * *

"Aaah!" Regina jumped up and out of bed with a start, calming down when she realized it had been another dream. She had been getting those kinds of dreams for as long as she could remember, and every night instead of finding rest in peaceful slumber her mind was wracked with atrocities one could not even imagine. Yet she still could hear the screams of every person she had killed, every life she had destroyed. Now it made her feel sick.

Sometimes, it was very hard to like herself.

"Hey, Regina, you okay?" Daniel asked, stirring slightly, movement clumsy from lack of sleep. She nodded.

"It's just another one of those dreams. The nightmares, I mean." Daniel sighed heavily.

"Another? Guess this thing doesn't really work," He said, flicking the dream-catcher with a finger. Regina groaned.

"After I have one of those dreams, sleeping is impossible. I guess I won't be getting back to sleep anytime soon," She sadly commented. Daniel just smiled and shook his head.

"That's where you go so very wrong. You don't have to worry, I'll stay up with you until you fall back asleep again." Regina smiled back.

"You don't have to do that."

"I would do anything for you, Regina." God, she loved the way the R rolled off his tongue in perfection, the way his lips curled when he smiled, how his vowels and consonants rolled together almost in harmony, like he was making music simply by talking. "So yes, I must." Regina laughed.

"Thank you, Daniel."

* * *

The rain pattered gently down onto the ice-cold window pane, and Regina sighed, being one to hate a rainy day.

"What do you want to do today?" She asked, crawling closer to Daniel. Both of them were relaxing on the couch afterhaving eaten a huge breakfast.

"Well, I was going to suggest we go on a walk, but seeing how well the weather has chosen to treat us, I suppose not." The two lay next to each other now.

"Maybe we can watch a movie?" Regina suggested, but the look on Daniel's face clearly stated he had no clue whatsoever what a movie was. "Never mind," she mumbled, reaching inside her pocket to answer her phone when it buzzed.

"Let me take this," she said, frowning at the unfamiliar number.

"Hello, who is this?"

_"No time for games, Regina. You know what I want."_ Her heart stopped in her chest.

"Oh, Cora, can I help you?"

_"It's mother to you. Did you really think I would forget forever? No, my dear, I only just recently remembered. As I said, I know you know what I want." _No. This couldn't be happening. She tried to stay calm in front of Daniel, but it was no use. A tear slid down her cheek.

"Y-yes. But you won't have it. I have a life now, mother, and you can't interfere." Daniel had come over at the sound of Cora's name. He had put two and two together from hearing that one word.

Mother.

_"Oh, darling, you have no idea what I am capable of." _Regina swallowed hard. _"I expect to see you at the well, you know which one, where you will give me your heart. And if you don't... I will take it. And I will kill everyone you love. Because, darling, there's only one way to be with you. I'm sorry things had to go this way."_

The line went dead and Regina stared at the wall. Fat tears plopped down her cheeks.

"D-Daniel... I have to go..." He shook his head. She knew he wouldn't let her, but she had to. "If I don't... she'll destroy everything I love. And that means you. And I can't lose you, not again."

"Regina... things don't have to go this way. We could ask for help... you don't have to face Cora on your own." She shook her head and tearfully tried to break out of his grip.

"No one will help me. Not after what I did."

"Yes, they will. You're changing, everyone knows that. Look at everyone who came to our wedding-" Regina squirmed out of his embrace.

"I'm sorry, Daniel. This is something I have to do alone." She ran out of the room, never looking back.

She never saw Daniel clutch his heart and collapse weakly onto the floor.

* * *

_"Hello, Cora." She steps up onto the hill, grass crunching against her shoes in protest to her weight. Cora laughs, never a good sign._

_"Is that any way to address a queen?" The familiar phrase rings through Regina's ears._

_"You aren't a queen anymore." Regina snapped back. She felt so uneasy, but that was a natural thing, wasn't it? Her mother had ruined her life time and time again, and just when it was perfect, here she was again._

_She was truly a monster._

_"My darling, you should rule this town, alongside me! We are royalty, they are the peasants!"_

_"Easy for you to say, you were the daughter of a miller!" Regina spat, knowing this situation would be getting dangerous. Cora's face turned bright red with humiliation and anger and she charged towards Regina. She teleported a short distance away with magic. Cora did the same._

_"See, there is one thing I know about my mother," Regina said, calmly inspecting a fingernail as if she were in a beauty class, not in a duel. "And that is, she could never teleport." She glared "Cora" in the eye. "Who are you, really?"_

_Purple smoke erupted from where "Cora" was standing. Now it wasn't Cora._

_It was..._

* * *

**_Reviews:_**

**_EvilRegal: _**

**_(25) Totally gotta agree with you there, haha, I Dreamed A Dream is actually one of my fave songs (I am a Broadway nut) but it totally matches Regina! Never really thought of that._**

**_(24) Can't help loving Maleficent... she was actually looking our for Regina in the second episode... :)_**

**_sevy MMAD: _****_(25) Hahaha... I hate cliffhangers too, but they keep me interested and make me want to continue writing... anyways, I won't be so evil... maybe... :)_**

**_Anonymous: (1) Thanks._**

**_Ann: (25) Well, I'd much rather post short chapters every day as to not keep you guys on cliffhangers than to post super long chapters once a week. Hope no one minds this, but... :)_**

**_Mari: (25) And here they are... :) Wonder what will happen next?_**

* * *

**_I say "hahaha" a lot, don't I? Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter ad I will see you in the next!_**

**_Oh, yes, and Happy New Years! (If we're in the same time zone. Dunno about the other countries...)_**


	27. Twice Lost

**WARNING: Morbid chap ahead!**

* * *

"Please..." Daniel was squeezing the life out of her, so painfully, so slowly. He had lifted her up by the neck, and she was already inches off the ground. "Don't do this," She tried to say, but the words wouldn't come out. He eyes locked with his, begging him silently to release her, not for her sake, but for his.

"D-D... Da..ni...el..." She choked out. She fearfully looked up into his eyes. She wanted to see them one last time, but they were devoid of emotion. The eyes she looked into now were a stranger's. Not one sliver of humanity was portrayed in his eyes. They weren't in his actions, either. The Daniel she knew would never do something at this.

And yet, no one she even knew would do this. Not even Gold. It was in that moment she realized something that changed everything.

She would do this.

She'd seen the fear in other's eyes every time she took a heart. It was no different now.

_How ironic_, she thought, that she left to save him when she ended up killing him anyway. As the world faded away, she managed one last gasp of air before blacking out.

* * *

_"Hello, Cora." She stepped up onto the hill, grass crunching against her shoes in protest to her weight. Cora laughed, never a good sign._

_"Is that any way to address a queen?" The familiar phrase rings through Regina's ears._

_"You aren't a queen anymore." Regina snaps back. She felt so uneasy, but that was a natural thing, isn't it? Her mother had ruined her life time and time again, and just when it was perfect, here she was again._

_She was truly a monster._

_"My darling, you should rule this town, alongside me! We are royalty, they are the peasants!"_

_"Easy for you to say, you were the daughter of a miller!" Regina spat, knowing this situation would be getting dangerous. Cora's face turned bright red with humiliation and anger and she charged towards Regina. She teleported a short distance away with magic. Cora did the same._

_"See, there is one thing I know about my mother," Regina said, calmly inspecting a fingernail as if she were in a beauty class, not in a duel. "And that is, she could never teleport." She glared "Cora" in the eye. "Who are you, really?"_

_Purple smoke erupted from where "Cora" was standing. Now it wasn't Cora._

_It was..._

_Gold._

_"Y-you-"_

_"That's right. Dearie." Gold locked eyes with her. "I promised you a fate worse than death, and you shall have one. So I figured, what if you were to kill your own husband?" Gold paused and pretended to think. "Ahh, yes, you would never forgive yourself." He slunk closer to Regina and she drew back._

_"You weren't supposed to bring magic here," She whispered. "It's against the cardinal rules of magic. And yet you did. So, let me ask you this. Why bring magic here and risk us all?" Gold chuckled._

_"That, dearie, is none of your concern."_

_"I know. At least, I think I know." Regina paused to ensure he was listening. "Back in our kingdom, I heard rumors. Rumors about you... having a son. A son that was taken to a world without magic." Gold took out a knife but she kept on talking. _

_"And that's why you wanted to come here. That's why you made the curse, that's why I heard you once mention to Jefferson you needed to get to a land without magic. Yet, why bring magic here?" The knife was at her throat now. But it was shaking, and Regina pushed it away gently._

_"We've both lost so much. That's why we have to stop. Now. My father was right. Revenge is a dark and lonely path. And yet, the only way to escape from a nightmare is to find yourself again. Killing me, ruining my life, will only turn back on you. I know that more than anyone." She saw Gold slightly shaking, but otherwise seemingly fine._

_"Go." Was all he said._

_And she did, and she was gone like the wind._

* * *

When Regina awoke, she was on the kitchen floor, everything fuzzy. There were a few black spots in her vision, but she shakily stood with the support of the counter. She tiptoed towards the doorway to go see, when a bright fireball flew over her head, missing her just barely.

_What the-_

Daniel was fighting Maleficent!

How long had this been going on? Probably not long at all, Daniel had no magic, although he was very strong.

"D-Daniel?" He never turned to look at her.

He hadn't changed back.

Regina leaned against the doorway, gasping a tiny bit in pain and surprise, before limping back into the room.

By now, Maleficent had cast a immobilization spell on Daniel and was panting for air.

"Maleficent... are you okay?" Maleficent looked up at the sound of the familiar voice and sighed.

"Yes... magic still has that effect it had on me so many years ago.. I get... tired..." Regina was afraid to ask, but she had a burning desire to know.

"W-What happened? When I was out." Maleficent ran over to help her when she stumbled.

"Here." She raised a hand over Regina's neck and the bruises disappeared.

"What's going to happen to Daniel?" She asked in a small voice. Maleficent sighed.

"True love's kiss won't work... not now, it isn't him anymore... he's lost, Regina..."

* * *

Regina started sobbing.

"Then I have failed... failed him twice..." She looked over to Daniel.

"You need to spell him away.. It's the only way." Maleficent said, trying not to cry with Regina. She knew exactly how she felt right at this moment.

"No... I... I can't... Not yet... not now." Regina wasn't ready. She wasn't ready to lose him again. Maybe David had been right. Evil always lost, even if it wasn't evil anymore. She couldn't bear to hold on to her spirit now, she had always been trapped, and now, she was more lost than ever. She was farther back than square one.

"Mom?" Regina nearly jumped at the sound of that voice. No. It couldn't be. How-

"Henry?!"

* * *

**_Kekeke..._**

**_Reviews:_**

**_Guest: (1) *blushes* Aw, thanks! ^^ You really think so?_**

**_EvilRegal: (26) Bet I made some people freak out over Gold... but, I was actually thinking of adding Ariel and Ursula later on. :)_**

**_Ann: (26) Thank you! ^^ I'll update again soon!_**

**_ALL: Thank you all for your support!_**

* * *

**_Sorry this chap was so short... I usually aim for 1,200 words per chap, but went to Wicked last night... ^^ Great cast, too. Well, see you guys next chap!_**

**_Hope this chap wasn't to morbid... and..._**

**_Please R&R!_**


	28. A Very Charming Team

Regina started sobbing.

"Then I have failed... failed him twice..." She looked over to Daniel.

"You need to magic spell him away.. It's the only way." Maleficent said, trying not to cry with Regina. She knew exactly how she felt right at this moment. It was what she had went through with Phillip... no. She wouldn't think of Phillip now, not after she had lost him to that... sleeping beauty... She might have loved him, but his heart belonged to another. And yet, she couldn't bring herself to spell Daniel away... She couldn't crush Regina like that...

"No... I... I can't... Not yet... not now." Regina wasn't ready. She wasn't ready to lose him again. Maybe Charming had been right. Evil always lost, even if it wasn't evil anymore. She couldn't bear to hold on to her spirit now, she had always been trapped, and now, she was more lost than ever. She was farther back than square one.

"Mom?" Regina nearly jumped at the sound of that voice. No. It couldn't be. How- how had he gotten in? He should be at home...

"Henry?! What are you doing here?" Maleficent smiled warmly. She had an inkling as to who this was.

"So this is your son, I take it?" Henry beamed.

"Yep... I am!" He paused at sight of Daniel. "Wh-what happened here?"

"Henry..." Regina kneeled down so she was his height. She wanted to be able to look him in the eye. "I need you to go into the other room.. there's something I must do." Henry frowned.

"Did you use magic?" Regina shook her head.

"I can't remember when I last used magic... but, Henry..." She looked at Daniel. Wait a minute... something was surfacing... a memory? Her expression changed suddenly.

"Wait a minute... I'll be right back." She dashed out of the door, leaving Henry alone with Maleficent.

"So... hi?" Henry tried.

"Kid... just go play wherever it is you play," Maleficent said, waving a hand dismissively. Who cared if he got into trouble, she had no idea how to be a parent, and this was Regina's kid, not hers.

Really, who could blame her?

"Why does everyone always call me kid?" Henry muttered as he headed towards the kitchen. He was in the mood for a cup of apple juice.

"Maybe because you are a kid?" Maleficent suggested.

"Whoa... how did you hear me from all the way over here?" Maleficent chuckled.

"Darling... I'm a dragon. There isn't a lot I can't hear." Maleficent said, with an artificial smirk. Henry swallowed hard and slowly backed away from Maleficent.

* * *

It was freezing outside, and Regina pulled her coat tighter around her. She had a very good idea of how she could save Daniel.

The water from the well. It had the power to return something you had once lost. She stepped up to the side of the brick structure and peered into the depths. Clear, cold water, the clouds reflected onto its glassy surface, yes, this was the water she was looking for. She didn't have time to waste, so she grabbed the handle and rotated it up and down until she had a bucket full of water. How was she going to get the bucket back, though? Water, especially this water, was heavy. Not to mention the fact she was hurting everywhere.

She had to face it, there was only one way to get this back to the house.

Magic.

She didn't want to break her promise to Henry, but she was using it for good, so surely he wouldn't mind. So, raising a hand reluctantly, she levitated the bucket and lugged it along to the house. She didn't release it until she was back in the house and near a table. After she had placed it down, she took out a glass cup and poured the water into it.

"Here." She handed Maleficent the glass, who frowned in confusion.

"Thanks, but I'm not really thirsty... more curious as to why you walked out the door..." Henry came out of the kitchen.

"I couldn't find any juice," he pouted. Regina raised an eyebrow.

"He's your kid, not mine."

"Give it to Daniel." Maleficent laughed coldly.

"I don't think he's thirsty either." Regina looked Maleficent right in the eye harshly.

"Give it to him. You'll see." Maleficent sighed and stood up with the cup.

"Why don't you do it? He's _your_ husband." Regina swallowed.

_Because... I don't want to be the one to fail him.. not now..._

"Okay. I'll do it..." She motioned for Henry to stay back, and he listened.

Taking a deep breath, she removed the immobilization spell, releasing him. He charged right towards her, eyes shining with that evil glare. But before he could lift a hand, she splashed the water onto him, silently praying it had worked.

And it had.

"Daniel!" She ran over to give him a hug, but he drew back.

"Sorry, do I know you?" Regina froze. No, this couldn't be. She chuckled nervously. He was just messing with her. He always did this...

But would he joke about this?

"Daniel... you do remember me, right?" Daniel frowned.

"A- am I Daniel?"

Henry and Maleficent looked at each other wide-eyed.

Regina went white.

"Daniel... Daniel, if this is a joke, cut it out now... please," she whimpered. He frowned. "W-what's the last thing you remember?" She tried, hoping that somehow his memory would return. He blinked.

"I- I think... I remember a horse... and stables..." Regina breathed a sigh of relief. "And... yes. You... um, Regina. I remember your name, but... I don't know who you are..."

"N- no, this can't be possible..." Regina swallowed and tried to hold back tears. She couldn't cry now, she didn't want Henry to see... and yet, she felt crushed. How could Daniel forget? Would he never remember her?

No. She wouldn't let this last, she would not let this stand. She was going to find out what that water did to Daniel, and she wouldn't wait. That familiar fury she had once buried had been dug up, and she would stop at nothing to get what she wanted.

She could be pretty scary at times.

And yet...

She couldn't, not with Henry here, and she needed to do what was best for everyone. Going... well, psychotic on everyone wouldn't change anything, and she needed to learn a different approach.

She was going to have to team up...

with the Charmings...

* * *

Daniel nodded simply and excused himself from the room.

"Umm, thank you, Regina." She nodded and waited until he had left before going upstairs herself to Henry's room. It might have been a big house, but there were only two bedrooms; Daniel and hers, and Henry's. Regina hadn't entered that room since... well, it was a day she had tried to forget. She limped up the stairs and into that familiar room, tearing up at the sight of it.

Everything was organized just like Henry would... it reminded her of Henry so much. She fingered the silver door handle before leaving the room. She couldn't sleep in there, it was still Henry's, even if he wasn't there. No, she would sleep on the couch, that was the best place for her. She didn't want to crowd Daniel. Not now, at least. She awkwardly lay down on the couch, shifting uncomfortably. Never mind she wasn't in sleep clothes, it wasn't like she was going to be sleeping well at all tonight.

If one had been listening carefully, they might've heard the sound of quiet sobbing.

* * *

**_Please R&R! You guys rock! See ya next chap! ^^_**


	29. Things Are Changing

"Regina." Emma frowned at the sight of her old enemy. Well, not that Regina herself was old but- never mind. "Umm, what are you doing here?" Regina swallowed, and Emma noticed her anxiety, even though she was positive that Regina thought she was keeping her cool.

"Oh, it's just that... your family seems to know more about Lake Noctos than anyone... I wanted to ask a few things." Regina said, hoping she was distracting Emma enough so that she didn't see Henry climbing back into his bedroom through the window.

"Well... okay... what do you need to know?" Snow had already told Emma a good amount of Lake Noctos after they had come through the well. She wasn't sure she could trust Regina... and yet, she seemed to be entirely different. She supposed just a couple questions wouldn't matter.

"Does... does the magic in Lake Noctos have any... side effects? Like... counterparts?" Emma frowned in thought. Gold to flesh... poisoned to perfect... anything else?

"Well... what kind of side effects?" Regina took a deep breath.

"Like... memory loss?" Emma shook her head.

"Uh, no... sorry." Regina nodded.

"Well, thank you anyway."

As she turned to leave, Emma yelled something to her. "Regina, why did you want to know about that? Did something happen?" Regina shook her head.

"Oh, no... of course not, I was just... um, curious..." Emma shook her head and went back inside the house.

Regina's head was clouded with emotion, her eyes were swimming with tears. Was there really no escape to this endless nightmare?

* * *

"Hi." Regina said awkwardly. Maleficent had left, and now it was just the two of them. Was it really possible to feel this crushed?

"Hi." Daniel said in brief response.

"Listen... there's... you can use our- I mean, the guest room down the hall. And... um, I guess I'll.. sleep in the spare room," Regina said quickly. "Did... um, did Maleficent tell you about our... situation?"

Daniel nodded simply and excused himself from the room.

"Umm, thank you, Regina." She nodded and waited until he had left before going upstairs herself to Henry's room. It might have been a big house, but there were only two bedrooms; Daniel and hers, and Henry's. Regina hadn't entered that room since... well, it was a day she had tried to forget. She limped up the stairs and into that familiar room, tearing up at the sight of it.

Everything was organized just like Henry would... it reminded her of Henry so much. She fingered the silver door handle before leaving the room. She couldn't sleep in there, it was still Henry's, even if he wasn't there. No, she would sleep on the couch, that was the best place for her. She didn't want to crowd Daniel. Not now, at least. She awkwardly lay down on the couch, shifting uncomfortably. Never mind she wasn't in sleep clothes, it wasn't like she was going to be sleeping well at all tonight.

If one had been listening carefully, they might've heard the sound of quiet sobbing.

* * *

"Ohhh..." Regina groaned and picked herself off of the couch. Morning already? Well, she supposed she could make breakfast now. She trudged over to the kitchen and walked over to the fridge, pulled out some eggs and some bacon and walked right back over to the stove, cracking the eggs and watching them fry. A loud knock sounded at the door, and not wanting the eggs to burn, Regina turned down the stove and went to go answer.

"I'm busy right now, so-" Regina froze when she saw who was standing at the door. "Ursula?" The woman in purple and black smiled devilishly and invited herself inside.

"Why, hello, Regina, how nice to see you."

"The pleasure's all yours." Ursula smirked.

"Darling, I have a feeling you want to make a deal with me," Ursula noted as she walked circles around Regina.

"And why is that?" She spat. Ursula laughed.

"I have a tendency to find... poor, unfortunate souls."

"Well, I suppose you attract people just like yourself..." Ursula laughed again, although it was completely artificial, as always.

"Now, funny story, actually... Wake up, remember what you did to all of us... I've been watching you for a while, my dear. And of course, I couldn't resist taking a trip to the well." Regina froze.

"Wh- what are you saying?" She asked, trying not to sound like a terrified child, when in reality she was one.

"What do you think I'm saying? Do you really think it was impossible for me to keep away after what you did to me? Please, darling, the spells I know... it wasn't hard for me to come up with a simple spell, just powerful enough to make your true love lost to you... forever!" Regina slapped Ursula across the face.

"You take that back!" Ursula chuckled.

"Feel better?"

"As a matter of fact, yes, I do," Regina announced proudly.

Ursula slapped her across the face after a moment.

"Well, so do I!" Regina was ready to hit her with a wave of magic, but she disappeared in a puff of purple smoke. She sank to her knees, defeated.

It was time for a trip to Gold.

It was also time to extinguish the burning eggs on the stove.

* * *

"Hey, I've been thinking."

"About what?"

"About..." Daniel paused to take another deep breath. "About everything. All of this. I mean, it all feels like a memory, like a dream. I just can't... I just can't understand. And I'm sorry I got mad back there. I know that this is very hard for you, it's hard for me. But I'd like to get the chance to learn how to love you again. I'll let you in, so how about we meet for dinner sometime?" Regina smiled.

"I'd love that, Daniel. Thank you. Is tonight good? I don't know if it's too soon, or anything, I don't want to rush you." Daniel shook his head.

"No, tonight is great." Regina smiled and wiped away a tear.

"I guess it's a date, then." Daniel smiled faintly at her.

"I guess so."

* * *

_**Sorry, guys, no reviews today, but don't worry, I'll get back to you as soon as possible! :) Thank you for your patience and support!**_


	30. Memory Curse

"Gold." The door closed quietly, and Gold had to admire that. Most people never even bothered or cared to respect his shop door. Not to mention the "closed" sign. "I need to know about how to break a curse." Gold shook his head and chuckled. God, how was she ever going to get what she needed from this man?

"Which curse would that be, dearie?"

"A memory curse." Gold turned to face Regina.

"Memory curse? No, dearie, there is only one individual who can do that, and she's no longer alive. I killed her myself." Regina shook her head.

"No... she's very much alive." Knowing the truth was one thing, but just hearing those words spoken made Regina shudder. In their land Ursula had always been a threat to both. So of course it would make sense she would need to be defeated.

And unfortunately, that plan had failed.

"Well, dearie, it looks like you have got a major problem on your hands." Regina frowned.

"No... we both do. Ursula is a threat to everyone, and that includes me. And you." Gold shook his head.

"I think I can deal with an octopus."

"Gold, just tell me what I have to do to break the curse... please... just this once. That's all I ask of you." Her eyes flooded with tears. She couldn't fail, not now, she would find a way. Gold knew exactly how to break the curse, he knew about Ursula's technique better than anyone else, and she wasn't going to give up. Not now.

"Well, dearie, you asked the wrong person." Gold's eyes seemed to burn into her very soul. As he turned to leave, though, she yelled something that changed everything.

"I know. I mean, I know what you did." Gold turned.

"And what was that? I've done many a thing, dearie." Regina shook her head.

"I know about your deception. I know how you made a deal with Jefferson and Whale to crush me so I would become evil."

But that wasn't what she said. Not at all.

"I know that you taught her. You should know her more than anyone. Please... please... just help me, this once." Gold sighed. He still felt a little guilty for her corruption...

"Very well, then. It's very, very simple, really, all you have to do is true love's kiss before the third sunrise. After the third sunrise, though, the curse will become unbreakable." Regina nodded.

"Thank you, Gold."

Somehow, to Gold, it had been worth it.

* * *

Daniel was looking around the house in hopes something might spark his memory. Nothing did. He just couldn't believe it. None of it. He'd lost his memory, he was married with a wife... this must be really hard for her. It was hard enough for him.

This morning she had left only a note and cold eggs. Apparently she was going for a short walk. Daniel couldn't blame her. After all, he'd like to clear his head of confusion as well.

Surprisingly, the eggs were very good, and he wondered how he could've forgotten this kind of cooking.

And he wondered how he could forget his own wife.

Speaking of the devil, the door chimed signaling that she had come home. He would've gone to greet her, but one could only imagine how awkward that would be.

"Daniel!" Regina came running towards him, but he was even more surprised when she kissed him right on the lips. He certainly hadn't expected that.

"R-Regina! What are you doing?!" Regina pulled away and stared at him in shock. Why hadn't the kiss worked? Gold had told her it would! She couldn't believe this. Had she been tricked again?

Daniel himself was completely confused.

"I thought you said that this- that you would..." He mumbled incoherently. A tear ran down Regina's cheek.

"I- I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me... I should go."

"Wait... Regina... I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay, I understand." And she did. She understood why the kiss hadn't worked.

It was because Daniel didn't love her.

* * *

Regina sat on the park bench, watching people walk by. She sniffled again and sighed. Sitting around wasn't going to be doing much good. Someone came and stood right next to her, and she would've sent them on their way, except she wasn't in the mood to do even _that_.

"Hope I'm not intruding," Daniel asked.

"No, I wasn't doing anything." Regina smiled and scooted over to make more room for Daniel. Taking a seat and a deep breath, a few more silent moments passed.

"Hey, I've been thinking."

"About what?"

"About..." Daniel paused to take another deep breath. "About everything. All of this. I mean, it all feels like a memory, like a dream. I just can't... I just can't understand. And I'm sorry I got mad back there. I know that this is very hard for you, it's hard for me. But I'd like to get the chance to learn how to love you again. I'll let you in, so how about we meet for dinner sometime?" Regina smiled.

"I'd love that, Daniel. Thank you. Is tonight good? I don't know if it's too soon, or anything, I don't want to rush you." Daniel shook his head.

"No, tonight is great." Regina smiled and wiped away a tear.

"I guess it's a date, then." Daniel smiled faintly at her.

"I guess so."

* * *

"Thank you, Ruby." The waitress in red eyed the couple carefully before making her way to the back room.

No tips today, she thought to herself. Not from the Evil Queen, anyway.

Regina smiled at Daniel hopefully and he smiled back.

Okay, she thought. I'll try not to lose my temper here.

"So... have we been here?" Daniel said, hoping to clear up the awkward silence. "Before, I mean." Regina smiled and shook her head.

"No... I don't think. I mean, nothing I remember. We never really went out that much. Umm, the people who work here don't really like me." Daniel shook his head.

"Hey, I might not remember much about you, but I can't quite see why people don't like you." Regina sighed.

"It's a long, long story."

* * *

**_Eep, posting on my iPhone again! -_- Sorry if I miss any reviews..._**

**_Reviews:_**

**_Fabala Throp: (28) Why, thank you! ^^ Hope to see you around here sometime! Thanks for reading!_**

**_Ann: (28) Well, I guess if she got her happy ending, there wouldn't be a story... Lolz... But thanks for reviewing! ^^ Hope you enjoy this chapter!_**

**_EvilRegal: (28) Actually, I have to agree with the Henry/Emma magic thing. But, you know, he probably wouldn't mind mostly because Emma wouldn't use her magic for destruction. But I'm kind of deciding if I should just make Regina quit magic altogether or use it just for good. What do you think?_**

**_sevy MMAD: (29) Sorry... Well, which parts are confusing? I could toss in a character desc. or explain if you tell me. I'd be happy to. :)_**

**_And thank you so much for staying with the story this long! ^^_**

**_Ann: (29) Well, I really couldn't resist adding Ursula, but I might add a backstory later on. ^^ I just hope it doesn't clash with the show, but oh well. Eheheh... Thanks for reading! _**

**_EvilRegal: (29) That actually would be pretty awesome if there was a huge battle. (And yes, Sherie rocks, although I was bummed the musical only lasted a year on Broadway.) Although I'm kind of wondering who Maleficent would side with. 0_o_**

**_Fabala Throp: (29) *looks at pen name and smiles* I guess you'll be catching on to any Wicked quotes here. Lol, I suppose you guessed already, but..._**

**_I LOVE BROADWAY!_**

**_ALL: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!_**


	31. Seeds Of Love

"Thank you, Ruby." The waitress dressed in red eyed the couple carefully before making her way to the back room.

_No tips today_, she thought to herself. _Not from the Evil Queen, anyway_.

Regina smiled at Daniel hopefully and he smiled back.

_Okay_, she thought. _I'll try not to lose my temper here. _She didn't want the truth spilling out, not when she had a chance to get Daniel back. She couldn't bear to get close to him and then for him to find out. Besides, it would only make her job harder if she had to get Daniel to love her if he knew what she had done.

She was going to have to do this right, but she couldn't let him know. It was the only way for her to get him back. Her Daniel. This wasn't him, this was a stranger, confused, lost, just as much as she was.

"So... have we been here?" Daniel said, hoping to clear up the awkward silence. "Before, I mean. Together. As a couple." Regina smiled and shook her head. She admired his attempt to forge conversation, but it was difficult here. Before, they had grown up with each other, grown to love each other. It had taken years for that love to grow, to be nourished, until Cora had killed it. And, now, she only had 3 days to get him to fall for her.

How was she ever going to do that?

"No... I don't think. I mean, nothing I remember. We never really went out that much. Umm, the people who work here don't really like me." Well, that was a simple way of putting things. A much... gentler approach to things. Daniel shook his head.

"Hey, I might not remember much about you, but I can't quite see why people don't like you." Regina sighed. Poor Daniel. She wanted to tell him the truth so much, but she had to keep from doing so. This was going to be a nice dinner. She may as well make it one.

"It's a long, long story." Well, not the usual cover, but at least it let him know she would rather not talk about it.

"I can tell- oh." The food had come, and it smelled wonderful, Daniel thought. "Wow, how to you cook like this? You could smell it from a mile away." Ruby sent an unseen glare in Regina's direction.

"You have no idea." She waited a few moments. "Anything else?" The two shook their heads.

"No, I think we're fine, thank you Ruby." Regina said with a genuine smile. It creeped Ruby out.

_The Queen? Happy? Oh god, I should lay off the soda_, Ruby thought to herself.

"Well, okay. Call if you, uh, need anything," Ruby said, excusing herself from their table. She didn't want to be in the middle of anything that had to do with the Queen.

"Whew. I was pretty sure she gave you the death glare after I mentioned the cooking."

"You saw that?" A smile crept its way across Regina's face. "You're a sneaky one, aren't you?" She teased.

"Wonder why she got mad, anyway," Daniel said, changing the subject to something he was more comfortable discussing. "I mean, I was complimenting the cooking." Regina shook her head.

"I suppose we'll never know," She quipped, a smile tugging at the sides of her lips.

"Well, we have all this lovely food here, shall we eat?" Regina giggled.

"Oh, sorry, got a little caught up there." She sliced a chunk off of her steak and took a nibble. "Wow. This is really... wow." The way those flavors danced across her tongue... almost in harmony... it was perfect. She simply had to find out the recipe for this.

"That good, huh?" Regina nodded.

"Yeah... wow. I can't even describe how good it is."

"Mind if I have a bite of that steak?" Regina nodded.

"Sure. Here." She handed Daniel her plate. In a way, she was a little disappointed to see him cut some chunks off. Most of the time, he would've eaten off her own fork in her hand, although, things had changed. She missed that Daniel, that Daniel that would hold her when she cried, kiss and comfort her, love her, be there for her.

She supposed she would have to learn to be lonely. After all, it was what she had known her entire life.

Until Daniel.

He changed everything, he brought her true happiness.

...No. Somehow, she knew, she would save him. She would save both of them. She could... she could just tell.

She knew everything was going to be fine.

Now she knew what it meant when they said that good can never lose.

Even if she might not have seen it, she was slowly turning good.

It was inevitable.

And, yet, she would be reunited with Daniel, somehow.

"Wow, this really is good," Daniel said with a smile. Even if it was directed towards the steak and not her, that simple action made Regina's heart soar. Maybe there really was a chance to get that kiss to work. She had 3 days, after all.

"I know. I have to figure out how to cook like this." She smiled subtly at her plate and hoped that somehow that everything would be fine. After all, hope was sometimes the most powerful thing any person could possess.

* * *

After Ruby had been paid for the food, (and given a quite generous tip, to her surprise) the couple left the restaurant. On the side of the street, however, an unseen pair of eyes observed the two carefully.

Much to Regina's surprise and happiness, Daniel held hands with her as they walked home.

Yes, maybe she really did have some hope to break this curse.

The seeds of their love had already sprouted.

* * *

"Hello, old friend," Ursula said. "Getting up to anything lately?" Regina shrugged, a mirthless smile plastered across her face.

"Of course I have. I've been preparing a curse." Ursula frowned.

"A... curse." Regina chuckled.

"Only the darkest of all curses."

"And.. what will this curse do?" Regina sensed Ursula's uneasiness.

"Why would you want to know that?" Ursula shook her head in that way of hers.

"It's the darkest of curses, darling, and I want to know if it will clash with my curse."

"And, what would your curse be?" Regina asked, her tone turning cold.

"Tell me yours. First."

"Very well. I am enacting a curse that will rip us away to a new land." Simply put, Regina thought, but it didn't matter, Ursula would never know.

"Well, coincidences, coincidences, so am I."

* * *

_**Reviews:**_

_**sevy MMAD: I'm glad this cleared things up! ;) I do hope you liked this chapter... :)**_

_**Mari: That would be cute indeed... Glad you're sticking around! :)**_

_**Guest: Thank you! :)**_

_**Next chapter will be Ursula's backstory and why she hates Regina, so stay tuned! *wink***_


	32. Evil Isn't Born

Regina was taking a long walk by herself outside. It was peaceful out here, so contrasted to how things had used to be. Until, of course, Ursula showed up.

"Hello darling," She crooned as she flung Regina a distance back. "Miss me?" Regina spit right on her shoes. "I'll take that as a no, then." Regina picked herself up slowly and carefully, making a point to watch Ursula's every move.

She was completely dangerous. After all, it was in her nature.

* * *

**PAST**

* * *

_"Hello, old friend," Ursula said. __"Getting up to anything lately?" __Regina shrugged, a mirthless smile plastered across her face. _

_"Of course I have. I've been preparing a curse." Ursula frowned._

_"A... curse." Regina chuckled._

_"Only the darkest of all curses."_

_"And.. what will this curse do?" Regina sensed Ursula's uneasiness._

_"Why would you want to know that?" Ursula shook her head in that way of hers. _

_"It's the darkest of curses, darling, and I want to know if it will clash with _**_my_**_ curse."_

_"And, what would your curse be?" Regina asked, her tone turning cold._

_"Tell me yours. First."_

_"Very well. I am enacting a curse that will rip us away to a new land." Simply put, Regina thought, but it didn't matter, Ursula would never know._

_"Well, coincidences, coincidences, so am I." Regina frowned._

_"What land is this?"_

_"Neverland. So I can pursue... a certain mermaid... by the name of Ariel." Regina chuckled.  
_

_"Well, my curse... um, will take her too, so, no need for you to enact your curse." Ursula locked eyes. Regina might've been tall, yes, but Ursula was much taller. Much more intimidating. But Regina was more powerful, and both knew it._

_"Why say that, darling? You know that I must and I will enact MY curse first." She frowned at Regina. "You wouldn't want to do anything... against that, now, would you?" That mirthless smile was back on Regina's face._

_"Of course not."_

_Rumplestiltskin was going to be hearing about this, though._

* * *

_"Rumplestiltskin." He turned._

_"Yes?" She looked around._

_"Is anyone here?" He shook his head._

_"No... no one ever comes here, dearie." He chuckled childishly. "Now, what is it you want?"_

_"Ursula is planning to enact a curse. A curse to take us to Neverland." His face fell._

_"And we don't want that happening, do we?" She continued._

_"Well, what do you suggest I do, dearie? I'm behind bars, in case you haven't noticed." Regina grinned evilly._

_"You tell me what I have to do to defeat her. She's powerful." Rumplestiltskin contemplated this for a moment._

_"Squid ink." Was all he said._

_"And where shall I get this squid ink?" Regina inquired? Rumplestiltskin chuckled again._

_"Why, a mermaid, of course!" _

_She was off to find Ariel, then._

* * *

_"And all you have to do is find the squid ink, and then I'll give you your legs." Ariel looked up hopefully._

_"Really? Just that?" The young girl bubbled with excitement, and Regina herself chuckled inwardly. In a way, though, she reminded her of herself._

_"Yes, dear, that is all you have to do. Just bring me that squid ink and then... you will have your legs." She was lying, of course, only Ursula had the power to do something like that. Of course, she had done it to herself. Between two forms._

_Funny how both of her old friends had had two forms. She supposed that meant she was more powerful than both of them._

_After she had taken the squid ink from Ariel, she left her in the water with her fin. Hearing her desperate cries and screams as she walked away somehow hurt, but she was glad she had everything finished._

* * *

_"I did it. I stole Ursula's heart from her hidden vault and the squid ink." Rumplestiltskin chuckled._

_"Very good, dearie. Now just pour that ink on the heart and we won't have any problems. Of course, beings that have used evil magic for too long cannot be destroyed simply by squeezing, they need a far more powerful approach. Which is why we need the squid ink." He nodded at her._

_"Would you like to do the honors?" She passed him the ink and heart through the gap in the cell bars._

_"Now I will enact the curse," Regina said darkly as the liquid dissolved the heart. "Now I will get my revenge."_

* * *

**PRESENT**

* * *

"You won't win. I won't let you destroy everything I have built for myself!" Regina shouted, shaking in terror and anger. Ursula had power, she was more powerful than she was, and that was something to fear. But Ursula just chuckled.

"You know, it is good to see you. Now I can finally kill you and enact my curse. But, you know, seeing you suffer about your dear... true love..." She said the words "true love" like how one would say "anaconda," Regina thought. "That is FAR more satisfying." She smiled coldly, looking like a snake about to pounce. She raised a hand and Regina jumped, causing her to laugh.

"I promise you, I won't let you get away with this!" Regina shouted.

"Darling, you're starting to sound like that wretched Ariel. And, let me respond to your promise with one of my own. I promise, this is not the last time you will be seeing me. I will give you what you deserve, and then, I can finally find my own happiness. You ruined everything, Regina. I will make you pay." Regina laughed.

"That's quite the promise you have there." Ursula chuckled darkly.

"We shall see, darling."

She vanished in a puff of smoke.

* * *

_**Reviews:**_

_**Ann: Well, hope you liked this chapter! :) Hope it wasn't too stupid of a reason for Ursula to hate Regina, though... XD**_

* * *

_**The Cricket Game (WARNING SPOILS) was HORRIBLE! I just can't. It was painful having to sit through those commercials... and I felt soooooo bad for Regina because all she needed was someone to believe in her, and no one did! ;( I'm gonna give Regina a happy ending, soon, I think, 'cause that episode was just... tragic.**_

_**...And, no, happy endings don't always mean the end!**_

* * *

"Of course I was, Daniel!" She remarked, placing a hand on his shoulder. She was completely perfect, that gorgeous raven hair and those deep, deep eyes. That smile, and that laugh... Yes, he could understand how he had fallen in love with her.

Then, he realized with a start, he was falling in love with her. Again.

His face got closer to hers, and she drew in.

At the last moment, however, he pulled away, trying to ignore the jab of pain he felt seeing the sorrow clouding her eyes.

"I-I'm sorry. I think I'll go to bed now," She said in a choked voice, and ran right out of that room. His heart pounded with fear, he was too scared to say those few words.

Wait, he wanted to shout to her. I haven't gotten to say I love you...


	33. It's Made

Regina ran all the way home, and didn't look back a single time.

"Daniel!" She pushed the door open and stopped right away when she realized that she had almost run into him. "O-oh, thank heavens, you're safe!" Daniel was here. Ursula hadn't killed him! She couldn't have been more relieved. He was here, for her to hold, love, hug, kiss, for her to embrace, for her to be with. She pulled him into an embrace. "Don't ever do that to me, not ever, ever again!" Daniel raised an eyebrow.

"Is everything all right?" Regina took a deep, shaky breath. "What's going on?" Regina let go of Daniel once she realized she had just done. She didn't want to rush him, most certainly embarrass him. She had to respect his wishes, after all.

"Oh, sorry... I- I wasn't thinking, I-" Daniel pulled her back into that embrace, causing her to blush. "I- I got... a, um... call, and... I thought the house was getting robbed!" She declared happily, as if she were talking about a surprise party and not a robbery. She was just glad she had figured out a cover.

"You were worried about me?" Daniel said, staring into the depths of her eyes, eyes that resembled the darkest depths of the sea, like the glassy surface of hollow water, and he wondered how he could forget those eyes.

For the second time, he wondered how he could forget Regina. She seemed like a character from a story, a story he had once read and forgotten about. He didn't know himself either. He had forgotten himself, too. He didn't know why people hated Regina, but he suspected it was because of him. He didn't trust himself, he couldn't, due to the fact he couldn't remember anything. He felt like a shirt that had just been bleached, like a blank sheet of paper.

"Of course I was, Daniel!" She remarked, placing a hand on his shoulder. She was completely perfect, that gorgeous raven hair and those deep, deep eyes. That smile, and that laugh... Yes, he could understand how he had fallen in love with her.

Then, he realized with a start, he _was_ falling in love with her. Again.

His face got closer to hers, and she drew in.

At the last moment, however, he pulled away, trying to ignore the jab of pain he felt seeing the sorrow clouding her eyes.

"I-I'm sorry. I think I'll go to bed now," She said in a choked voice, and ran right out of that room. His heart pounded with fear, he was too scared to say those few words.

_Wait_, he wanted to shout to her. _I haven't gotten to say I love you_...

* * *

"G'morning, Regina," Daniel said as he made his way down the stairs. He hadn't gotten much sleep, and, judging from the circles under her eyes, Regina hadn't either. And, judging by her sad response, her depressed tone that sounded more like a robot than a woman, she really was heartbroken.

"Oh. Good morning, Daniel."

A few more moments of silence passed (save for the sound of ham sizzling on the pan) before someone spoke again.

"Listen... Regina... I'm really sorry for last night. Truly. I mean it." Regina nodded and wiped away a tear. "I... I just feel like, like... I know I loved you. And... it's just really confusing for me. But in truth..." He was at her side now. "I really do love you, Regina." She frowned.

"You're sure you aren't confused again?" Daniel chuckled.

"No... I'm very sure... but I think we should take this one step at a time, as I previously mentioned." Regina nodded.

"Yes. I think this can work." She smiled. "Thank you, Daniel."

* * *

_"Ha." Ursula chuckled. She had led Regina on to thinking that that one heart she had possessed was hers. Not like it was, really, it had all been a trick on her part. Now she would get revenge on Ariel... but when she looked for the scroll, it was gone._

_Furious, she knocked over a table. She had been tricked!_

_Pure anger coursed through her veins as she cursed and flipped over the bookshelf. How dare she! __No, no, she would not let Regina get away with this. She stole away her last chance at happiness, that being her revenge on the mermaid who had sung her true love to death. Lured him away into her trap when he was trying to prevent her from... from changing. Like she had. Only the purest ocean water would do it, and yet... it was Ariel's fault. That selfish little brat._

_Maybe Ariel thought by accident, yes, but Ursula couldn't forgive her. Not for that._

_Sirens, after all, lured men into their trap. A siren herself should know that. Monsters should know what they were, she thought._

_But somehow, Ariel didn't seem so important. Not anymore, not after what Regina had just done to her. She chuckled darkly to herself, knowing she would someday have her revenge. After all, she had heard news of the savior. Yes, 28 years, but she would have her revenge._

_If it was the last thing she did._

_As the purple smoke of the curse billowed around her, she closed her eyes._

_Yes, she thought. I will have my revenge on you, Regina. I swear I will._

* * *

**_Holy crap... I'm seriously so happy I think I'm going to fly away! So many reviews today! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!_**

**_And, not to mention the fact I can't answer any!_**

**_Ok, so long story short, my keyboard broke. -_- I'm using the iPad keyboard right now, and it takes literally FOREVER to write stuff._**

**_I will be doing reviews as soon as possible, and for the meanwhile, I have news on my other story (The Past, Present, And The Future). I will be continuing it, but won't be updating daily. _**

**_Thank you for reviewing, you guys rock!_**

* * *

"Hello, Maleficent." Maleficent frowned at the sight of the figure in purple.

"So you survived the curse?" She said, raising an eyebrow. Ursula chuckled darkly.

"Good to see you too." Unlike Rumplestiltskin, Maleficent hadn't known about the fight between her and Regina.

Ursula saw everything that took place between her allies, though, and she supposed that Maleficent wouldn't be hearing or seeing much, as she had been detained by Regina during their battle for the scroll. Yes, there was much she could see.

Which was good, exactly how she wanted it. Maleficent could never know.

"What have you been up to?" Ursula shrugged.

"Not much..." Only plotting revenge against Regina... Maleficent shook her head. "Magic is different here."

"I noticed," Ursula commented.


	34. You Deserve Each Other

"Hello, Maleficent." Maleficent frowned at the sight of the figure in purple.

"So you survived the curse?" She said, raising an eyebrow. Ursula chuckled darkly.

"Good to see you too." Unlike Rumplestiltskin, Maleficent hadn't known about the fight between her and Regina.

Ursula saw everything that took place between her allies, though, and she supposed that Maleficent wouldn't be hearing or seeing much, as she had been detained by Regina during their battle for the scroll. Yes, there was much she could see.

Which was good, exactly how she wanted it. Maleficent could never know.

"What have you been up to?" Ursula shrugged.

"Not much..." _Only plotting revenge against Regina_... Maleficent shook her head. "Magic is different here."

"I noticed," Ursula commented. Maleficent smiled mirthlessly.

"Did you happen to find that... sleeping beauty?" Ursula asked, pretending to be affronted when Maleficent shook her head.

"No... for some reason, she isn't here in Storybrooke. Regina told me so herself." Maleficent frowned. "Have you seen her around?" Ursula smiled to herself.

"Why, yes, of course." Maleficent beamed at her reply, making Ursula shudder. _Everyone_ was going soft, but she wouldn't let that stand in her way. Still... she supposed a greater change had taken place in Regina, of course, Maleficent was never really evil to begin with. Yes, Ursula knew much, but one thing she didn't know was whether the rumors about Maleficent having been an old fairy long ago were true. She supposed not, of course, a dragon cannot relate to a fairy, no? And yet...

"She's really... changed... for the better," Ursula said, trying not to sound like she was lying through her teeth, which she was. Luckily, Maleficent bought it.

"Yes... The curse had a different effect on her than I thought it would." She chuckled, fingering an object in her hand. Ursula squinted to see what it was.

...Dear god.

"Is that..." She reached out to grab it, but Maleficent snatched it away.

"Sorry, this is a gift for someone." Ursula snorted.

"Really? Why would anyone need a true love potion?" Maleficent laughed.

"I thought you were supposed to know _everything_, Ursula." Ursula weakly smiled and backed away from the approaching Maleficent. "See, this is the one thing that can save dear Regina." She held it up to the light. "Yes, you see, Daniel, her true love, has been cursed, and the only way to do it is... true love's kiss." She sighed. "It wasn't easy to get this. I had to get help from Rumplestiltskin. Did you know he's bottled true love?" Ursula gasped. Yes, she had bottled many a thing, but never true love.

"See, if Daniel takes this, then he will remember. True love can break any curse, but it doesn't necessarily have to be a kiss. Most of the time it is, but of course, kisses are a form of affection, no?" She slipped it back into her pocket and turned, frowning at the sight of Ursula backed up against the door. "Is everything all right?" Ursula shook her head. "Then why are you at the door- Oh, whoops, I guess I lost track of time." She smiled. "Sorry for keeping you."

Without another word, Ursula had left the building.

Maleficent chuckled to herself.

_Why didn't she just... teleport? I never use doors, anyway._

She sighed, wondering how she was supposed to get the potion to Regina unseen. She knew telling Ursula was unwise, but also wise. If Ursula thought she had kept it a secret, she would take her anger out on both. If she thought Maleficent trusted her (which she didn't) then she could use that to her advantage. Then she smiled, because she knew she had a way.

After all, maybe she couldn't teleport, but she could cast a invisibility spell.

Witches aren't witches if they don't use magic, after all.

* * *

Regina stirred at the soup madly. It had been ages since she had tried this recipe, but she wanted it to taste good. Daniel had gone for a walk and she was alone, save for the stew. There was a knock at the door, and she really didn't want to answer it and neglect the stew, she yelled out to the porch, "Who's there?" The door swung open, and there stood Maleficent. "Oh, hi, Maleficent, but this is really not a good time- uhh, what the hell-" She stopped, flabbergasted when Maleficent pulled the spoon right out of her hand.

"Here." She handed her a bottle with pink substance splashing around inside.

"What's this?" She was completely intrigued by the floating specks. Completely gorgeous.

"Daniel's and your hair." Regina's eyes widened slightly.

"Is this some sort of joke?" She asked skeptically, folding her arms. Maleficent shook her head.

"No, you see, it's a true love potion." Regina stared at it hungrily. She would've loved to yank it out of Maleficent's hand right then and there, but she felt Maleficent had more to say. "This will help you and Daniel. Here." She simply handed it to Regina, who frowned in confusion. There had to be a price, there always was.

"What do you want?" She asked, the frown getting larger. Maleficent just laughed.

"Nothing." She smiled. "You need this." Regina embraced Maleficent briefly.

"Thank you... so much," she said, tears streaming down her face. "I- I don't know what to say. I don't even deserve this." Maleficent shook her head.

"You're right about one thing, though. You don't deserve to be miserable. You deserve happiness." She looked Regina right in the eyes. "That is what I truly believe." More tears surfaced.

"T- Thank you, Maleficent. Thank you so much..." Maleficent smiled.

"Don't thank me. You deserve this."

* * *

_**Reviews:**_

_**Finchelette:**_

_**(1): I can relate to that... I was in tears after watching The Cricket Game... Well, not really tears... more like BAWLING. :( I'm not going to have a happy ending unless Regina does, and I assure you that she will have one! Well... at least in this story. :)**_

_**(2): Oh, that's good that you like the Rumbelle and other stuff 'cause I felt like I was getting off-subject. XD**_

_**(3): XP**_

_**I suppose that every story needs conflict, right? I mean, the whole reason I like Regina is because she has so much depth to her... and conflict... :)**_

_**(4): Aww, thanks! ^^ Oh, man, you honestly have no clue how much your reviews mean!**_

_**Thank you! :)**_

_**(5): We shall see... :)**_

_**(6): O_O Wow... after reading that... OMG wow. *cries happy tears***_

_**(7): ...**_

_**AGREED!**_

_**(8): Why are people so nice?! _**_

_**(9): I'm just readlly glad to be getting so many positive reviews... ^^**_

_**(10): Muahahaha... :) I was actually wondering myself where that Wraith went... couldn't have vanished off of the face of the earth, right? O_O**_

_**(12): Agreed... although I hate how there are so little DanielxRegina FanFictions out there... it makes me want to cry... and then, most of those Regina centric fics are SwanQueen... -_-**_

_**(13): I'm always crying in every scene Regina cries in in Once Upon A Time... she just completely saddens me... poor girl is tragic. Lana Parrilla ROCKS! XD I can't imagine what would happen if any other actress got the role... her tears are my tears! ;)**_

_**(14): I wonder what happened to him in canon after David almost shot him... it's like he... vanished into thin air. :|**_

_**(15): I definitely think that Stable Queen isn't as good as Snowing. Quite honestly, I don't like Charming. He was just... egotistical and didn't care about how much Snow was getting hurt (in Regina's execution) which is one of the reasons I don't care for him. :| I'm fine with Snow, though.**_

_**(16): There was a repition? Aaah! Oh, geez, I'll go and fix that... it's the repeat of the "Why did you hate Snow?" thing, right?**_

_**(17): I hope you don't mind my asking, but I could explain if you tell me what confuses you. Not to be mean or anything. :) Hope this didn't offend you.**_

_**(18): *beams* Why, thank you, dearie!**_

_**(19): I actually started to dislike Cora after the Cricket Game... :| I dunno, I guess I'll get over it.**_

_**And thank you for reviewing!**_

_**EvilRegal: I know it sounds odd, but Regina and Maleficent sort of remind me of Elphaba and Galinda... even though they're totally different... o_O**_

_**sevy MMAD: :) I'm really happy you're back, and thank you for sticking with the story so long! I don't know if I said it before, but I really appreciate it! ^^**_

* * *

Maleficent had left. Regina was alone, now, alone with that one bottle that would change everything. She wiped away another tear, because now she knew, now she knew that she had deserved this. This was her fault. She never should have cast the curse, Maleficent was right. So was Mary- er, Snow. Snow was right all along. All that all of this had left in her was a giant hole. A giant hole in her heart that nothing could ever fill.

She swallowed hard and went to check if Daniel had come home. When she realized he wasn't, she frowned, because he shouldn't have been out this late.

...Wait a minute.

Ursula.

She had forgotten all about Ursula, she should never had let Daniel out alone in the first place, she should have been more careful, and now she was going to pay for it. Grabbing a flashlight and a stained trench coat, she dashed outside into the cold air, into the jet-black night where not a single star twinkled. She wondered if that was her fault, because of the curse, or if it was Ursula's fault. She doubted the latter, though. She slowed down in her pace when she neared the woods, then stopped right at the edge. It was risky, yes, but she had no idea where Daniel was and she wasn't going to let a few trees scare her way from her true love.

In she went into the sea of evil, into the evil that Ursula had prepared just for her.

* * *

_**Thank you all for the support! You have no idea how much the reviews mean... :)**_

_**R&R!**_


	35. Forbidden Fruit

Maleficent had left. Regina was alone, now, alone with that one bottle that would change everything. She wiped away another tear, because now she knew, now she knew that she had deserved this. This was her fault. She never should have cast the curse, Maleficent was right. So was Mary- er, Snow. Snow was right all along. All that all of this had left in her was a giant hole. A giant hole in her heart that nothing could ever fill.

She swallowed hard and went to check if Daniel had come home. When she realized he wasn't, she frowned, because he shouldn't have been out this late.

...Wait a minute.

Ursula.

She had forgotten all about Ursula, she should never had let Daniel out alone in the first place, she should have been more careful, and now she was going to pay for it. Grabbing a flashlight and a stained trench coat, she dashed outside into the cold air, into the jet-black night where not a single star twinkled. She wondered if that was her fault, because of the curse, or if it was Ursula's fault. She doubted the latter, though. She slowed down in her pace when she neared the woods, then stopped right at the edge. It was risky, yes, but she had no idea where Daniel was and she wasn't going to let a few trees scare her way from her true love.

In she went into the sea of evil, into the evil that Ursula had prepared just for her.

* * *

Inside the forest, every figure seemed threatening, menacing, like they were after her.

_No, that's silly_, she thought. She sang a little song to herself in hopes it would calm her down, but it didn't, in fact, it only made her even more nervous. As she ventured deeper into the bowels of the forest, she could've sworn that one tree smiled at her, but that was ridiculous, of course. Shaking it off, her pace quickened and became more frantic as a tree branch swung around right next to her.

_It's just the wind_, she thought. _It's just the wind._

Another branch swung around, although this time it had knocked her over successfully, her flashlight falling hard a few feet away.

The glass shattered and she was in complete darkness.

"H- hello?" Something wrapped around her waist, and she would've shrieked, until something else, rough and brutally textured wrapped around her mouth.

The tree! The tree was alive and it was grabbing her!

Memories flooded back to her. Memories she had wished she would've forgotten, memories of her mother's barrier spell and that one tree in their backyard she would use to catch Regina if she snuck out to see the stars at night. She hated that tree, she remembered her mother laughing at her and leaving her there all night until she learned her lesson.

And she remembered Henry, and tears sprung to her eyes at that thought. She hadn't changed one bit, from her mother to her.

"I don't want to be... you."

How many times had she repeated that phrase and cried to herself because it was so little to want, so little to wish for? How many times had she dreamed more than anything to just... just be free?

It was then when another tentacle-like branch snaked around her throat, and she panicked, realizing she was going to be strangled now.

She fought and kicked and bit at the branches, but it was no use, and everything was getting fuzzy. She closed her eyes, suddenly very sleepy, wondering if she was going to fall here, die from a tree.

It would be ironic if nature were to kill her.

As a child, besides Daniel and animals, nature had been her only friend.

* * *

Regina awoke in midair, not knowing what exactly was happening. But before she could comprehend what was happening, she was lying face-down on the forest floor. She could already tell that from the distance she'd been flung from had caused her several injuries, maybe even a broken bone.

She knew that this was the end. She'd seen it coming, she'd known that Ursula wouldn't give up. She had ruined her. She let out a slight gasp of pain as a little river of blood dashed down her cheek. A jagged cut ran across her forehead, seeping blood. Footsteps sounded behind her, footsteps coming to seal her fate.

"You know I have to do this." Ursula lifted her up by the neck and rammed her into the rough bark, another gasp escaping her throat, only this one louder than the last. She closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable, her inevitable fate.

Not necessarily death. Something worse than that.

The seconds ticked by, and Regina's throat had started to burn, her eyes had started to water and slightly bulge. Ursula waited until the last second to release her from her grip, and she landed on a rock that had been created right below her, wincing when she felt something rough slide into her lower back.

It was then when something clinked, and, panicked when she realized it was the potion. Ursula smiled, rows of jagged teeth appearing, and her hand slid into Regina's messenger bag, holding up a little bottle once it was visible again. The older woman grinned evilly and kicked Regina a distance away, pain blossoming along her wrist.

"This is your fault," Ursula said quietly, approaching her. "You did this to yourself." Regina crawled away towards a nearby tree, letting herself relax against the side. Red flooded her eyes, and Regina realized in shock that her tears were blood. She was crying tears of blood. She panted for air, her breathing labored. Her eyes started to close, but she snapped them open, she wasn't going to lose, not now. She sent a glare in Ursula's direction.

"I have a little... gift," Ursula said slyly, presenting a blurry object. An apple. "Of course, it's up to you to take it." She paused. "Well, you don't really have much of a choice, do you? After all, I do have your _dear_ Daniel, and you wouldn't want anything to happen to him, now, would you?" Regina struggled to take another breath, knowing it would likely be her last.

"T- then you've won." She gasped, gripping the apple and taking one last bite. In the last moment she had, she wanted to go down fighting. She laughed, shocking Ursula, and herself. "I- I wish... I had- had done that... a little... more... gracefully..." The world slipped away, and Regina felt like she was falling away from the earth. Her last thought was a word, a name.

Daniel.

Then everything went black.

* * *

_**Reviews:**_

_**sevy MMAD: Yep... I think Maleficent screwed Regina over... DX Poor thing...**_

_**EvilRegal: I, myself, am pretty pissed at them for doing that to Regina, and escpecially Emma's reaction after she thought Regina did it... "We are locking her up, she needs to pay, yada yada." Sheesh, though, sometimes I guess all she needs is someone to believe in her. ;(**_

* * *

**_See you next chapter!_**

* * *

She picked herself off of the ground and scooted into a sitting position, too tired to sit up, too weak.

I wish I could die, she thought bitterly. The ground was hot, so hot she bet she could've cooked eggs on its surface. She made a little whimpering sound and scooted back towards the wall, leaning on its surface. Her eyes started to close again and she wondered if she could die here. Could hell possibly be any hotter?

"Regina?" Now she was hearing things. Her eyes snapped open and she saw Charming across the room.

Now she was hallucinating, too. Looking up at the ceiling, as if God was listening, she wondered aloud if she was near death.

"Regina!" There was that yell again, and she blinked again. Yes, Charming really was here. He ran through the flames over to her, and she started to cry, because she knew she didn't deserve the help, even though she really needed it. "Wh-what happened to you?!" Regina coughed up a little blood. "Where are you right now?" Regina sucked in a breath.

"I- In the woods. I was... attacked... you know Ursula?" Her voice started to slur. "She was... she... gave me an apple and-"


	36. Living With Loss

Regina was falling. It wasn't a falling sensation, she really was falling. She should've been in _that room_, but then again, there was a gaping hole in the bottom of _that room_, probably from Charming, so she supposed she wasn't going to last much longer. She hit the ground with a sickening _thud_ and she could've sworn she heard something _crack_, maybe her ribs. She smiled to herself, because she knew she was getting what she deserved. It was because of her Charming had been in here... Snow... and... Henry. She would never see anyone again, and she supposed everyone would celebrate that.

Right?

She picked herself off of the ground and scooted into a sitting position, too tired to sit up, too weak.

_I wish I could die_, she thought bitterly. The ground was hot, so hot she bet she could've cooked eggs on its surface. She made a little whimpering sound and scooted back towards the wall, leaning on its surface. Her eyes started to close again and she wondered if she could die here. Could hell possibly be any hotter?

"Regina?" Now she was hearing things. Her eyes snapped open and she saw Charming across the room.

Now she was hallucinating, too. Looking up at the ceiling, as if God was listening, she wondered aloud if she was near death.

"Regina!" There was that yell again, and she blinked again. Yes, Charming really was here. He ran through the flames over to her, and she started to cry, because she knew she didn't deserve the help, even though she really needed it. "Wh-what happened to you?!" Regina coughed up a little blood. "Where are you right now?" Regina sucked in a breath.

"I- In the woods. I was... attacked... you know Ursula?" Her voice started to slur. "She was... she... gave me an apple and-" She coughed up a little more blood, and Charming kneeled down next to her.

"Then I'll go get help. I'll wake up and... who can break the curse? Oh, yes, Daniel can, right?" Regina laughed, which turned into a cough.

"N- No, that isn't possible." Charming looked at her, confusion flooding his face.

"Well, why the hell not?"

"H- he... He lost his memory because of a spell Ursula c- cast. He won't remember me..." Regina's eyes started to close again. "I went into the woods... to find him... I brought the potion w-with me... it'll let him remember." She gasped a little too hard for breath, and she realized she had a few broken ribs.

"Then I'll help you. I'll send him to you. Don't worry." She teared up again.

"You shouldn't do that... not after all I've done." Charming shook his head.

"If not for you... then for Henry."

Charming started to fade away, and she realized he was waking up.

"Charming... thank you..."

* * *

"Hmm?" Charming groaned and stretched for a second. Then realization struck him and he jumped out of bed fast as lightning.

"Wh- Charming.. what?" Snow had woken, too, which might be a good thing, considering Regina looked near death.

"We have to go help Regina!" He declared. Snow gave him _that look_.

"You've lost it. Now please just come back to bed." Charming shook his head.

"No way." Snow frowned.

"Should I call an ambulance or something?" Charming paused for a moment.

"Actually, yes, you should." He buttoned up a plaid shirt and tossed on some shoes. Snow followed him to the doorway.

"Charming, what the hell-" He was gone. Out the door.

Snow sighed.

"Better call that ambulance, then."

She didn't see Henry climb out the window and sneak away.

* * *

Daniel sighed. He had been walking for ages, and had been thinking. About Regina.

_I wonder if she misses me. The real me, I mean, the one who remembers. I bet she does. _He shook his head._ It's just so hard to remember. When I do, I forget all over again._

He was so lost in thought, he accidentally bumped into the town sheriff.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't watch where I was going-" David shook his head.

"No, it's okay. Just come with me." Daniel groaned.

_Great, I didn't know bumping into authority meant I would get arrested. That's what he's doing, right? Is that another thing I forgot?_

He was still confused when David ran ahead into the woods, signaling for him to follow. And he did.

_What kind of arrest is this? _He wondered.

* * *

The two had been running for what seemed like hours to David and minutes to Daniel.

"H... hey, why are we running?" Daniel panted. David said nothing in response and just kept on running, Daniel struggling to keep up.

_How does he run so fast?_

The two stopped by the well.

"Thirsty?" David asked. Daniel reluctantly replied.

"Er... yes." David got something out of his bag, and Daniel leaned over to try to see what it was, but he hid it well, and poured it into... well, the well.

"What was that?" Daniel inquired.

"Oh, uh... water... purification stuff." David answered. Daniel shrugged.

"Guess I forgot that too." David pulled up the bucket, water splashing everywhere.

"Well?" Daniel sighed. Not like he usually drank out of a bucket, but he was really really thirsty, like he'd been in a dirt swallowing contest, if there was such a thing. He hesitantly took a slight sip... and...

Memories flooded into his head. He remembered the stables and that ring and Cora... and he remembered Regina. He stumbled back a bit and let out a little cry.

"What the... what did you give me?" Charming grinned.

"It worked." He looked ahead, his smile vanishing. "Oh." He dropped the bucket and ran ahead into the darkness, Daniel running right behind him.

* * *

**_Sorry if some parts of this chapter were short and shallowly written. David's parts were written like that... well, because no offense to Snowing people (I am a Snowing, in fact, just mostly the Snow) but I find David a little shallow. He doesn't have any inner conflict, which makes him tough to write for, so in the end I just simplified my writing. Hope this doesn't offend anyone.__  
_**

**_Thank you for reading!_**

* * *

**_Reviews:_**

**_sevy MMAD: Oh, that's really great! ^^ I guess that it's because of all the constructive criticsm! ^^ _**

**_Thanks for reading!_**

**_Ann: ^^ Hope this didn't weird you out to much...  
_**

**_I seem to have that effect on people..._**

**_EvilRegal: Hehehe... I guess we'll have to wait and see..._**

**_Fabala Throp: ;)_**

* * *

When they reached Regina, it was too late. She wasn't breathing, and her eyes stared ahead openly into the distance. Her mouth was twisted into a sickening grin and a dried red tear lay hollowly on her cheek. Her hair was matted and tangled into leaves and dirt. Something wet seeped out of a cut on her back.

"I- I..." He closed his eyes for a second, and could've sworn when he opened them that he saw Regina smile in his direction, although it was probably just his imagination. He sat near her and cradled her body in his arms. "I'm so sorry... Regina..." He leaned over and kissed her lightly on the forehead. "This is all my fault..."


	37. A Kiss For A Curse

When they reached Regina, it was too late. She wasn't breathing, and her eyes stared ahead openly into the distance. Her mouth was twisted into a sickening grin and a dried red tear lay hollowly on her cheek. Her hair was matted and tangled into leaves and dirt. Something wet seeped out of a cut on her back.

"I- I..." He closed his eyes for a second, and could've sworn when he opened them that he saw Regina smile in his direction, although it was probably just his imagination. He sat near her and cradled her body in his arms. "I'm so sorry... Regina..." He leaned over and kissed her lightly on the forehead. "This is all my fault..." He let out another heart-wrenching sob, although Charming stifled a laugh when Regina let out a gasp. He had done it. True love had broken Ursula's curse.

"D- Daniel?" Daniel nearly dropped his wife.

"Regina?" He paused and let out another sob. "What happened?" She coughed. but somehow managed to smile.

"You saved me." She weakly lifted a hand and cupped his cheek. "Thank you." Her eyes started to close again, but snapped open at the sound of a familiar voice.

"M- Mom!" Henry stepped over the rubble and right next to Regina. "Are you okay?" He paused. "Will you be okay?" She managed a smile somehow.

"Yes, I'll be fine, don't worry, Henry," she croaked.

"I'm... sorry... mom..."

She smiled. "Thank you... Henry..."

She was happy, and that was all that mattered.

Everything went dark.

* * *

It had been hours since Daniel and Charming had found Regina in the woods. Regina and Daniel were at the hospital alone, and Daniel supposed Charming was getting a lecture from Snow and Emma at home. Henry, too. The couple had fallen asleep, although Daniel was still at the hospital. He had refused to leave, he couldn't leave her there. God knows how much trouble they had gone through to get her in the hospital in the first place.

About a few hours passed, and it had turned dark out. Regina was the first one to break the silence.

"Dan- Daniel?" She croaked, sounding raspy and dehydrated.

"Hey, you're awake," Daniel said, straightening in his chair. It had been set right next to the bed so he could watch over her. "How are you feeling?"

"About... about as good as it gets; awful." Daniel shook his head. She let out another cough, then shifted a little under the covers before lying still.

"Well, is there anything I can do? Maybe some water, or something?" Daniel suggested. Regina shook her head.

"No, I think I just need some rest." She licked her cracked dry lips. "Well, actually, I think some water would be nice." Daniel nodded and ran off from the room, leaving Regina alone in the dark, lonely silence.

Do I deserve this? She wondered. Do I deserve a happy ending, even after all I've done?

Something she had always wondered, pined on, spent hours of thought on, was why? Why, when she had been good, why should she not deserve a happy ending? True love always prevails... Good always wins... Those phrases had made her sick to not only her stomach, but her mind and soul. She had lost to her mother, pure evil, she had lost her true love... and for what? What purpose was there to her misery?

And then she thought of the chances she had been given.

She should've listened to her father, should've apologized and shown regret, because in a way, when she killed, she killed like that monster inside Daniel had. No regret, no thought, except for one word.

Victory.

And she remembered how many chances she had been given. She should've surrendered when she had the chance, she should've repented, and finally...

She should've left the evil in that cell.

She remembered walking out, calm at first, and for a moment she even fooled herself into thinking that it had worked. That she had changed.

But then reality hit her like a bullet, and temptation took over. Temptation to kill the woman who had ruined her life, who had killed Daniel.

She had been given so, so many chances, and she had ruined all of them.

That's why she couldn't allow herself to destroy this chance.

She wondered what might've happened if Dr. Whale had failed to bring Daniel back to her.

She couldn't even imagine.

* * *

The days fluttered by, weeks passed and changed into months. During this time, Regina had become healthier and much more content.

So it was time to take the second step.

"Now, we're going to have to do this slowly, Daniel explained. No one had wanted contact with her, so Daniel would have to learn from the doctor and instruct Regina himself. "Don't rush it, you might fall over." Regina rolled her eyes.

"I still don't see why this is necessary."

"Because you haven't stood for ages, and obviously it's going to be quite the task." Regina huffed, but a sly smile spread across her face. She bet a million people would pay to see the Queen learning how to walk again.

"Just be really careful. I'll catch you if you fall." She smiled.

"Ok..." A few more moments passed, and gradually Regina stood. She stumbled a little, but continued walking. She looked up at Daniel, eyes shining with excitement. "I did it!" She exclaimed proudly, even more delighted when Daniel wrapped his arms around her.

"I missed you," he said.

"I missed you too," she said.

And, for that one short moment, that one brief blink in the long line of life, both were content.

* * *

_**Hi, everyone, in honor of my 100 review total, I'm posting this extra chapter, basically, 2 chapters in one day! ^^ Thank you for all your support! This chap is dedicated to all my reviewers!**_


	38. Deals

Ursula shook her head disapprovingly. It had been a couple months since her incident with Regina, and every day, Maleficent closed in on her. She retreated farther into the shadows, and yet researching on how to destroy Regina once and for all was difficult. She would have to get rid of Maleficent, but how? She very well couldn't spell her away, no, she would have to make it look like a murder.

But who would murder Maleficent?

One thought surfaced, and that thought changed everything.

She could awaken Cora so she would remember, yes, she would remember her daughter, and she would have her rip everything away from her. She knew Cora, after all, and she knew she would ruin Regina if it meant she could be with her. If she found out Maleficent was alive and Regina's friend, well, Maleficent would not last long. Maleficent was no match against Cora, and she was sure Maleficent herself knew that.

Not to mention the fact that if she ripped Daniel away from Regina once, she would do it again. Quite happily, she was certain.

Yes, everything was going to work out for the better. She would kill Regina and finally have her happy ending.

After all, what else was there to look forward to?

* * *

Regina smiled at Daniel.

"Enjoying the hot cocoa?" He smiled and nodded. Things had changed for the better, as the confirmation from Doctor Whale that Daniel's heart had reverted back to his own had been discussed.

In the short time Regina had been in the hospital, Neal and Emma became engaged, Belle and Gold were snuggling closer, and even Charming and Snow... Seemed to be having quite some fun. (Emma had apparently taken a sudden interest in tacos, though.) Everyone was finally getting their happy ending. Even Cora started to communicate with others more, and it was clear that things were changing in Storybrooke. Radically.

Regina ended her sessions with Dr. Hopper, they had both decided she didn't need it anymore. She had changed completely, now the town just had to believe her. It was the last step to becoming herself again, and also the biggest step, but Regina knew somehow that was a step they would take.

So much for no more happy endings.

Even though she regretted it more than anything. Regina was slightly relieved she had cast the curse. After all, it gave her a second chance, (even if it ruined everyone's lived,) in the end, everyone was brought together and she couldn't be happier.

However, as Regina and Daniel snuggled, there was a loud rap at the door.

"I'll go answer it," Daniel offered, but Regina shook her head.

"It's okay, you just sit here and enjoy your hot cocoa." She leaned forward and pecked him lightly on the forehead before heading off to answer the door.

* * *

"Regina." She smiled at the woman in blue standing before her.

"Cora, it's great to see you. What can I do for you?" She admired her lovely blue frock. "I love the dress, by the way." Cora smiled warmly.

"Yes, you used to love blue, didn't you?" Regina frowned.

"Yeah... I used to love blue... But how did you know that?" Cora shrugged, trying to pretend she hadn't just slipped.

After she had remembered everything that had happened, just from drinking a single sip from a glass of water, she knew she would have to change. For Regina.

And, yet, somehow that would be so hard.

But she could do it, she could change for Regina.

Cora took a deep breath.

"Regina... I remember," she remarked, trying to pretend she hadn't noticed Regina's utter horror at this comment. "But... I put a lot of thought into it, and I've decided to change, for you." Regina frowned in suspicion.

"Prove it. Prove that you can change. Leave Daniel and I alone, and if I see that you have truly changed, then I will believe you. But... If you try to hurt us, if this is a trick..." She paused for a moment. "I won't hesitate to kill you." Cora looked her straight in the eye.

"I have one condition," she shouted as Regina tried to close the door.

"What?" Regina hissed, and it hurt Cora more than anything to realize that she had only pushed her daughter away in her panicked attempt to pull her closer.

"I... I... If you decide I change... Please let me visit you." There was hope in her eyes, hope that reminded Regina of herself in so many ways.

"...Very well, then. But only if Daniel agrees." Cora held out a hand. Regina looked at it as if it were a snake.

"Well, we can't cast a deal if we don't shake, can we?" Regina reluctantly shook Cora's hand.

"Deal."

* * *

"Regina, what the hell?"

After Cora had left, Regina had been alone with Daniel and tasked to explain to him the deal she had just made.

And, well, he wasn't happy.

"Regina... I know you've changed, but Cora can't be trusted... Please, have some sense. Go back on the deal." Regina shook her head, her eyes full of tears.

"Daniel... You haven't heard the full story." She took a deep breath. "Just let me explain, and then you decide." Daniel reluctantly nodded.

"Very well, then."

"Cora... She wasn't always like she is now. There was a time when she promised to always protect me... No matter what. And that time is..."


	39. Someway

"I remember, when I was just a little girl. She made a deal with Rumplestiltskin to keep me.."

"Keep you?" Daniel wasn't entirely sure he wanted to know what that meant.

"Well... Her father gave up her firstborn child to allow her to become a princess. You have to understand, she didn't want to, but... that child..."

"Was you." Daniel finished, a tinge of sadness flickering in his expressions.

"In order to keep me, she made a deal with him. She would be able to keep me, only if he taught her magic. So... She did. It was in this time, before she truly became corrupted, when she loved me. She would laugh and smile... she told me she would always be there for me, no matter what.

But then matters grew complicated, she became twisted, and that's when I met you. Cora had already ventured too far into the magic, and... Well, she was really lost.

But wasn't that that made me strike that deal with her, it wasn't that I needed her. I striked the deal with her... Because, in that last moment... What I saw in her eyes... That is exactly the same look she had in her eyes all those years ago... And I believe she can change. You gave me a second chance, now, look where we are."

Daniel took a deep breath.

"Regina... I only worry for you and your safety. I trust your decision, and if you think she can change, then I will learn to believe that too." Regina embraced him, tears flooding her eyes.

"Thank you, Daniel, thank you so much."

They stuck together, as if glued, then separated slowly. "I know she can-"  
Another sudden knock at the door startled the couple, and they looked at each other in a moment of confusion, then back at the door.

"Who could that be?" Daniel wondered aloud, worry written all over his face. Regina shrugged it off, still somewhat curious.

"Maybe it's Cora, again," she suggested. Daniel nodded.

"Both us should answer it." Regina laughed.

"What, a door-to-door salesman is going to give me something poisonous? I highly doubt it." Daniel shook his head.

"That's not what I mean, and you know it."

"Well, I suppose, if you insist," Regina said, admitting defeat. She sent a smile in his direction, then the two walked over to the door, hand-in-hand. The knocking got louder, and with a frown, Regina opened the door.

There stood Emma, with an angry look plastered on her face.

"Oh, hello, Mrs. Swan, is there anything you need?" Emma just glared at her.

"Archie was found this morning. Dead. Explain yourself." Regina went white.

"I... Archie's dead?" Daniel cut in.

"Wait... who's Archie-"

"Only the kindest soul in this town," Snow said, interrupting Daniel with that look on her face. The kind of look she got when she truly felt anger and the need for justice. It had been the kind of look she had given Regina that time when she told her to stay away, or she would kill her.

"And, why are you so sure that Regina was the one who killed him?" Charming didn't hesitate to hop right in.

"Because Ruby said she saw you walk into his office." Regina looked at Daniel.

"I... what?" Pure confusion was displayed on Regina's face as she glanced back at the Charmings. "What are you saying?"

"You're under arrest," Emma declared. There was silence for a breif moment before Daniel cut in.

"No, that's absurd, she was home, with me, last night." He hugged Regina closer, holding her protectively.

"Well, Pongo's memories tell a different story," Charming bit back.

"You choked the life out of Archie," Emma whispered hoarsely. "You need to pay." Regina could see the anger and emotion in her eyes.

"Gold." Regina realized this just now. It was Gold, he must have tricked them when he showed them the memories. Emma nodded simply.

"Yeah, Gold helped us, but I was the one who used magic. It wasn't a trick." Regina's eyes clouded with anger.

"What... After everything... You still think I'm capable of murder?" She choked, face flushed red in fury. Daniel's embrace turned into a tight grip, maybe meant to restrain her. "I can only hope he warned you... warned you that all magic comes with a price!" She yelled firmly.

"Yeah... a price we'll both pay. By Henry. He'll be broken." Regina squirmed out of Daniel's grip.

"No... I want to see him!" She shouted, chasing Emma down the pavement, Daniel running after her. "He... he's my son!" She screamed, eyes burning with so much anger. Emma shook her head.

"No... he's my son!" She screamed back. "And after this... you won't be able to see him... not ever again... EVER, do you hear me?!"

"You will not take my son from me!" Regina yelled, flicking a wrist and knocking Emma onto the pavement.

"It doesn't matter..."

"NOW!" Snow yelled, and almost out of nowhere, the Blue Fairy appeared, hurling that dreaded blue ball of fiery substance at Regina.

As if on cue, Daniel jumped right in front of her the moment it would've impacted.

"Daniel!" Regina screamed as he collapsed onto the ground in front of her, eyes shut. She kneeled down and shook his body. "Daniel!" She sent a glare in Emma's direction.

"What did you DO?" She screamed. Snow was pale.

"That was... meant for you... to immobilize someone with magic... someone powerful enough to take it... but, Regina, Daniel... he doesn't have magic. I don't know..."

"He wasn't powerful enough to take it," Charming realized. Even Emma looked a little pale.

"Even... even if..." she shook her head, clearing away all hesitant thoughts. "It doesn't matter, Regina, you only brought this onto yourself." She took a deep breath. "We're locking you up, Regina."

* * *

_**DUN DUN DUN!**_

_**And... on that note...**_

_**Reviews:**_

_**sevy MMAD **__**(36): **__**:) Gotta agree with you there... Charming doesn't do much in the show, maybe except for finding Snow (and neglecting the town in the process).**_

_**sevy MMAD (37): **__**Yes... it always is too late... ^^ But that's the best time!**_

_**sevy MMAD (38): -_- If I were Regina, I wouldn't trust Cora either... *sigh* She's gonna get herself killed, I swear! (Maybe...)**_

_**Metope: ^^ Aww, thank you! :) You have no idea how much all the sweet reviews mean!**_

_**hecatemoondancer: Thank you! ^^ Glad you're enjoying it!**_

_**EvilRegal (37): Well, in my opinion, the end hasn't come until there's a happy ending for everyone. ^^**_

**_IllusionOfOmniscientWolf: Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful review! ^^_**

**_Ellen Potter: Oh no... the real taco scene in the movie freaked me out... lol... but, I will admit, it IS fun to joke about it! XD_**

**_Ann: Exactly... Although, I suppose not everything is about the back story. I know someone myself who is always getting annoyed at Regina during the flashbacks, even though she feels sorry for her in real life... but then again, evil isn't born, it's made, right?_**


	40. Clear Conscience

Regina looked up at Emma, teary-eyed. "I... I..." She looked around, the Blue Fairy stood right behind her, a triumphant look shown on her lips, eyes, even her frown. Snow was hugging Charming, but Emma, Emma was... furious. Even though this was her fault. Regina's lips shaped the word, "No."

Purple smoke clouded around Regina, and she was gone.

* * *

"Why... why..."

Regina had teleported the two of them back into the car, and had not stopped driving. She came to a slow stop in front of Granny's cafe and parked there. She figured she would be found eventually, but she just needed a moment to revive Daniel, who she had laid down in the back seat.

Getting out of the car and slamming the front door shut, she crawled onto the backseat, closing the door quietly behind her, though not very securely, for she never heard a click. She briefly inspected Daniel, supposing he looked more like he was sleeping, than dead. She shook him, hard, but he didn't wake up.

She smiled to herself, that wasn't a problem, she could fix this easily. She pressed her lips up to Daniel's, relieved when he let out a gasp for air, then looked around, remembering where he was and what had happened, smiling at Regina. She tried to smile back, but a tear dripped down her cheek.

"Hey... hey, what's wrong?" Daniel asked softly, sitting up.

"I...I... I lost Henry..." She cried, leaning into Daniel's chest. He rubbed her back comfortingly. "I can't ever see him again... What will I do?" She looked up at him, mascara running and makeup ruined. "I..." She couldn't bear to say anything else. It was just too painful.

"No... what will we do." Daniel paused for a moment. "You won't go through this alone. I'll stand by you, I will protect you. I promise." Regina started crying even harder.

"I don't deserve you... Didn't you see what I did back there? I did that all the time...before..." She shuddered, pulling herself closer to Daniel.

"Regina... that was understandable. You just lost everything, and, don't get mad at me for saying this, but I would've punched someone if they said that to me. What she said, and how she went about saying it, was uncalled for." He shook his head. "And she's supposed to be the savior."

There was a sudden thud, and the door of the car swung open, and the couple was pulled out roughly. Regina wiped away some tears, hoping she didn't look too much like a raccoon.

"Regina." Emma greeted Regina coldly as she stumbled out of the car. "Daniel."

"Nice way to greet someone," Regina said, dusting herself off.

"Quit the games, Regina, we all know you did this," Emma remarked coldly. "I saw it in memories."

"Wait a minute..." Daniel said, as realization struck him. "If you can see memories... can't you look at Regina's memories? Then you... you would know that she was innocent." Emma analyzed Daniel for a moment, letting out a hard sigh.

"Well, I guess I better go get myself a dreamcatcher."

* * *

"Here you are, Miss Swan." Emma eyed Gold carefully before taking the dreamcatcher from his grip.

"What's your price?" Regina inquired carefully.

"One hair from Daniel and your head... someone stole my love potion," he said, scowling deeply at Regina.

Reluctantly, Regina and Daniel gave him one of their hairs.

"Why do you want more true love anyway?"

"That's of my concern, dearie. None of yours." Regina chuckled.

"Well, excuse me for wondering where my DNA is headed off to." Gold opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by Emma.

"Excuse me, can we cut the crap and get on with the show?" Emma said, interrupting. Regina blushed slightly, and Gold nodded and pretended as if nothing had happened.

"Yes, of course."

With a shaking hand, Emma lifted the memories from Regina's mind, then moved on to focus on the mess of a swirling void of memories. The mess cleared, and on the surface, two figures could be made out. The pair chatted, then hugged, Emma making a face at this. Regina went to the stove and started trying to cook something, but Daniel seemed to be more interested in kissing Regina than letting her cook, and Gold turned away at this point. No one really noticed the pair blushing bright red at this replay. Emma sent an accusing glare in Regina's direction.

"I'm sorry for having a little fun."

"Yeah. Fun. I would call THAT fun."

From there, the two headed upstairs, brushed teeth, then snuggled up to each other in bed, the lights flickering off. From there, nothing happened, just the two of them sleeping. Everyone in the room waited anxiously to see Regina get up to kill Archie, but nothing was happening except for the occasional toss and turn of Regina or Daniel. Once the memory faded away, Emma looked at Regina.

"You were right. You had nothing to do with it.. at all..." Daniel frowned.

"I don't get it... Regina didn't do it... so who did you see kill Archie?" Regina looked at the floor for a moment, before looking up again.

"It was Cora. She did this. She can shapeshift." She swallowed, ignoring the lump rising in her throat. Emma shook her head.

"Never mind that, we have to stop her before she hurts anyone else." Regina nodded, tears in her eyes.

"Yes." She shook her head. "And here, I thought she had truly changed." Daniel embraced her.

"Hey, Regina, I promise things will get better." She nodded. "Just don't worry about it..." She nodded again.

"You're right, Daniel... as long as I have you... I think I can handle anything."

* * *

Emma rolled her eyes in annoyance at this exchange. Sure, Regina might've changed, but she still didn't trust her, not one bit. How could she, after what Snow had shared with her? Those stories of all she had done so long ago... No, she wouldn't trust her, but she could try to get to know Regina, and not the Evil Queen. She wondered, though, what might've happened if she hadn't

"Yeah, hugs, and kisses, and all that nice stuff, now, can we get going?" Regina nodded, never pulling away from Daniel. "Besides, Neal is waiting for me." She noticed Gold perk up out of the corner of her eye at the mention of Neal. He didn't say anything about Neal, though, and she was glad. "Let's get moving, then," Emma said. Regina pulled away from Daniel slowly and the three headed off towards the door.

"Good luck, dearies," Gold called as the door creaked shut.


	41. Young and Old

Emma rolled her eyes in annoyance at this exchange. Sure, Regina might've changed, but she still didn't trust her, not one bit. How could she, after what Snow had shared with her? Those stories of all she had done so long ago... No, she wouldn't trust her, but she could try to get to know Regina, and not the Evil Queen. She wondered, though, what might've happened if she hadn't

"Yeah, hugs, and kisses, and all that nice stuff, now, can we get going?" Regina nodded, never pulling away from Daniel. "Besides, Neal is waiting for me." She noticed Gold perk up out of the corner of her eye at the mention of Neal. He didn't say anything about Neal, though, and she was glad. "Let's get moving, then," Emma said. Regina pulled away from Daniel slowly and the three headed off towards the door.

"Good luck, dearies," Gold called as the door creaked shut.

* * *

About fifteen minutes away from Gold's shop was where Cora lived, and the group arrived at the door, tired and worn out. They hadn't expected to be sent on a wild goose chase, at least, not today. Regina raised a fist and struck the door three times, a hollow knocking sound echoing back into the unseen room behind the door. No one had answered her knock, though, and the seconds ticked by. Annoyed, she raised a hand to flick the door open with magic, freezing when she realized what she was about to do. Instead, she simply knocked on the door, hoping no one had noticed she almost used magic.

"Hello?" Cora answered the knock this time, and Regina wondered if she had heard it the first time, or if she had been stalling so she would have time to figure out an excuse or something for killing Archie.

"Hi." Was all Regina managed to say. Emma pushed her out of the way, standing face-to-face with Cora, so close that Emma could feel Cora's cold breath. Cold, mind you, not like normal people. But it didn't matter, it didn't make her budge. No, she wanted to get up in the woman's face for all she had done to her family.

"Cora. You know why we're here." It wasn't a question, it was a sentence, and Cora laughed at that.

"My dear Emma, I have no idea why you would be here," She crooned, in a very suspicious manner. Emma's brow furrowed.

"You killed Archie." Snow covered her hands with her mouth.

"I think I'll go crazy if I hear that phrase again," She whispered to Charming. He patted her on the back comfortingly.

"Archie?" Now it was Cora's turn to frown. "And who would that be?" Emma scowled at Cora.

"You mean you kill people without even knowing who they are? How low are you?" Regina shifted a little uneasily, she had killed people without knowing who they were. _Like that "replacement" girl Rumplestiltskin had found_, her thoughts reminded her. She felt a little sick at that single realization.

"My dear, I have killed many a person, but I don't recall killing anyone in Storybrooke." Emma groaned and turned to the group behind her.

"Great, guys, you never told me she had short-term memory loss." She said, obviously cranky. It wouldn't take a detective to realize that. Regina frowned, scrutinizing Cora. She seemed to be telling the truth, yes, but she didn't think Cora wouldn't kill someone else. She had already killed so many people, so maybe it was just impossible for her to stop. After all, she knew her mother well.

Sometimes, mother didn't always know best.

"Cora..." Regina sighed. "We all know you're the one who did it, you wouldn't hesitate to do something like this. It already reeks of you. Only two people from our realm can shapeshift, and I'm sorry to say you're really the only person who would abuse your power like that. I know you don't want to hear it, but you're guilty."

Cora stalked forward and placed a hand on Regina's shoulder, her presence making the others nervous for Regina. "My dear daughter, you wouldn't think... not after..." Regina backed away, and Cora followed her onto the pavement. "...Not after everything that we've been through." Her expression turned to one of worry. "You must understand, I had nothing to do with this. I had never even hear of this before you..." Cora followed Regina even further out onto her lawn. Regina frowned.

"I'm sorry." A little tear welled up in her eye.

"Now!" Emma yelled, and the Blue Fairy hurled the glowing orb of magic towards Cora. Before she knew it, Cora was immobilized. Her eyes widened in shock, her mouth formed a surprised O, and everyone was at a loss for words. Gradually, her expression turned to one of sadness.

"Regina... why would you do this?" She asked, sounding hurt. Regina shook her head.

"No... you only did this to yourself." Daniel sent one final glare at Cora, and the two cleared out of the area. Emma looked at Cora.

"Okay... let's get you somewhere you can't hurt anyone." She nodded at Snow and Charming.

"Let's do this."

* * *

"Have you seen those two lately?" Ruby shrugged.

"Yeah... they act like they're teenagers whenever they're together... just completely bizarre. Don't even know why the stable boy would take an interest in-" Granny shook her head.

"That's not who I'm talking about. I'm talking about Gold and Belle." Ruby sighed.

"Still at it?" Granny nodded.

"You tell me about it... well, actually, I heard he's bottling more true love." Ruby made a face.

"More? Why would he need more?" Granny looked around, then leaned in closer to Ruby.

"I heard... he's making a potion that will allow him to cross over the town border without losing his memory... and the true love is the failsafe... if he crosses and loses his memory, he just has to drink the potion to get it back." Ruby's eyes widened.

"Wait... does that mean... if he's successful, then... people can leave?!" Granny eyed Ruby suspiciously.

"Well... it all depends on how things work out. I don't even know if this is the truth; they're all rumors, after all." Ruby let out a breath, only realizing then she had been holding it. She looked at Granny.

"I.. I have to go." She ran right out of the restaurant.


	42. Trouble Is Coming

"I'm sorry you had to see that," Regina said, closing her eyes and snuggling deeper into Daniel's embrace. The two were lying in bed next to one another, too tired to do anything.

"It doesn't matter; we have each other now." Daniel took Regina's hands into his. "I love you," He whispered into her ear, gently, almost sounding like a coax. Regina sighed and whispered back, "I love you, too." He sighed, running a hand through her hair.

"Today was really tough for you, wasn't it." Regina smiled.

"It was tough for both of us." Daniel shook his head.

"I should've trusted you about Cora... I shouldn't have pushed you to tell her..." He sighed. Regina shook her head.

"No... But, you know, it never would've mattered, anyway. She's the one who sent that horse wild, she's the one who set it all up." She sighed into Daniel's night-shirt. "I just wish... I had a chance to do it all over again. You know... I sometimes wonder what might've happened if the king never died. If I never killed him."

"It's in the past, now, and it doesn't matter. What matters is that we're together, forever and always." Regina sighed, chuckling a little to herself.

"You know, I've been waiting for you to mention _it_ for such a long time now."

"Mention what?"

Regina sighed again. "Daniel... I... I um... feel... really, really, really old." She blushed, knowing how childish that sentence sounded, but it really was how she felt. "Our age difference... is just..."

"You're worried about that?" Regina nodded.

"Well... I think you still look as beautiful as the day I first met you," he said, breathing in the scent of her hair. She flushed even more red.

"Daniel... stop that." She said, playfully tracing a hand through his hair.

"Did I ever tell you about the preservation spell?" Daniel frowned. "Well, I suppose I haven't." She let her shoulders sag a little. "Well... after you died... I cat a spell to preserve you. Because I couldn't let go." She explained.

"Well, I'm glad you did." She smiled. "I look much... well, I guess I look much more attractive than I would if you let me shrivel up in a casket." Regina shuddered.

"Eww... don't say that." He grinned.

"The Evil Queen, scared of a corpse?"

"Daniel, stop!" She somehow couldn't stop giggling like a lovesick teenager.

"The Evil Queen, who has killed thousands?" Tears were coming out of her eyes, although they were from laughter. Daniel pulled her a little closer, and the two fell off the bed.

So much for sleep.

* * *

"And... what would you like that order with?" Daniel looked at Regina, waiting for a suggestion. He was still getting accustomed to the food here.

Regina leaned over. "Try the fries... they're really good," Regina said, whispering into his ear.

"Fries," Daniel said, and Ruby took one more look at the couple before heading off to the freezer. She started to pull some items off from the shelf, and the door opened.

"Have you seen _those two_ lately?" Ruby shrugged.

"Yeah... they act like they're teenagers whenever they're together... just completely bizarre. Don't even know why the stable boy would take an interest in-" Granny shook her head.

"That's not who I'm talking about. I'm talking about Gold and Belle." Ruby sighed.

"Still at it?" Granny nodded.

"You tell me about it... well, actually, I heard he's bottling more true love." Ruby made a face.

"More? Why would he need more?" Granny looked around, then leaned in closer to Ruby.

"I heard... he's making a potion that will allow him to cross over the town border without losing his memory... and the true love is the failsafe... if he crosses and loses his memory, he just has to drink the potion to get it back." Ruby's eyes widened.

"Wait... does that mean... if he's successful, then... people can leave?!" Granny eyed Ruby suspiciously.

"Well... it all depends on how things work out. I don't even know if this is the truth; they're all rumors, after all." Ruby let out a breath, only realizing then she had been holding it. She looked at Granny.

"I.. I have to go." She ran right out of the restaurant, and Granny sighed.

"Guess I'll have to do all the orders," she mumbled to herself.

* * *

"Why did Ruby run out so suddenly?" Regina wondered, confused. Daniel shrugged.

"Maybe... she saw a cat." Regina swatted him on the shoulder playfully.

"Aw... come on, that's mean." She looked out the aisle. "But I wonder who's going to serve out meal, now..." A shadow approached the table, and Regina looked up at Mr. Gold.

"Hello, dearies," he said, quite simply.

"..." Regina couldn't even think of how to reply.

"I... uh, was thinking, and thought you.. might need this," he said, presenting a little bottle filled with a greenish substance.

"What's that?" Regina inspected it carefully.

"The chance to start over..." He said, placing it down on the table, which was a bit unusual, seeing as he was normally very possessive, and would never let an object of value out of his hand. "This potion will allow you to cross over the town line... All you have to do is pour it on the object dearest to you." Regina frowned.

"And how do I know it isn't poison? How do I know it won't magically dissolve the 'object dearest to me?'" Gold smiled.

"Why not take a small sip, and see?" Regina inspected the liquid, and hesitantly popped open the lid, taking a small sniff.

"Umm.. Regina, I wouldn't..." Daniel started to say, but she shushed him with a movement of her hand.

"No, it definitely isn't poison." She frowned.

"What's your price, then?" Gold chuckled.

"No, dearie... there isn't a price. This is a test... to see if the potion works." Daniel shot Gold a seething glare.

"So, you'd rather she lose her memory than yours?" He asked, anger lacing his tone. Gold smiled.

"Precisely."

"Very well, then." Regina replied, and before Daniel could say anything, Regina pulled him out the door, leaving the diner without even eating.

* * *

"Regina, it isn't safe." She sighed and shook her head.

"What's the risk, I mean, come on, it's not like I'm going to walk over the town line anytime soon. It's just a precaution," She said, fingering her wedding ring.

"I suppose... it's your choice, after all. What are you going to pour it on, anyway?" Daniel asked, with a sigh, knowing Regina wouldn't allow him to say otherwise. She could be very stubborn when she wanted to. Well, he supposed not everything about her had changed since...

"This..." She poured the entirety of the potion onto the wedding ring lying on the bedside table. A purplish blue glow emanated as the inanimate object trembled, then faded away. She inspected it for a moment, before slipping it back on. Nothing had changed or altered, it was still the same golden band.

* * *

**_Reviews:  
_**

**_EvilRegal (39): :P While I admit that would be pretty damn awesome, especially in canon, I suppose we'll have to wait and see... :)_**

**_EvilRegal (40): I'm literally on the edge of my seat for next episode! ^^ And thank you for the awesome reviews! They really help encourage me to update soon! :P_**

**_Ellen Potter: ^^ But I must admit that scene was so awkward to see, especially if you detest Charming. XD_**

**__****_IllusionOfOmniscientWolf (40): Thank you! ^^_**

**__****__****_IllusionOfOmniscientWolf (41): Wow... that's just.. so cool.. MIND BLOWN! ^^_**

**_sevy MMAD (39): *sigh* Seems like deja vu of the Snowing incident...Even though I detest him, who was right in the end..._**

**_Ann: I know... I was literally yelling... YELLING at the TV for Emma being so stupid! Whyyyyyyy?!_**


	43. The Town Line I

"Regina, it isn't safe." She sighed and shook her head.

"What's the risk, I mean, come on, it's not like I'm going to walk over the town line anytime soon. It's just a precaution," She said, fingering her wedding ring.

"I suppose... it's your choice, after all. What are you going to pour it on, anyway?" Daniel asked, with a sigh, knowing Regina wouldn't allow him to say otherwise. She could be very stubborn when she wanted to. Well, he supposed not everything about her had changed since...

"This..." She poured the entirety of the potion onto the wedding ring lying on the bedside table. A purplish blue glow emanated as the inanimate object trembled, then faded away. She inspected it for a moment, before slipping it back on. Nothing had changed or altered, it was still the same golden band.

"Nothing," She said, in a rather bored tone. Daniel shrugged.

"Well... You know, I guess it wasn't that important it should work, I mean, not like we were going outside, anyway." Regina smiled.

"You're right.. we should worry about what's inside of the border." She shook her head. "What do you want to do today?" Regina asked, spinning her finger around a strand of her hair.

"Well... Storybrooke has stables, right? So, I was hoping that maybe we could go horseback riding today," He explained from the other side of the couch. She smiled fondly, things really were changing for the better, even from such a short amount of time.

Daniel helped Regina up onto the saddle. The horse he had purchased for her nickered and shook its head. Regina smiled, eyes filled with so much glee. It had been so long since she had ridden with Daniel, and now she was about to do it again.

"It's been so long since I've been on a horse," she said, beaming in the direction of Daniel, who was mounting his own horse.

"Well, these are ours for good," Daniel said, patting his own horse's speckled neck lovingly. Both horses were paint, of course, Regina's personal favorite breed.

"I don't know... this one doesn't seem to like me," Regina mentioned aloud as her horse shook its head again. Regina almost slipped off the saddle but regained her balance, wondering if the horse had intentionally tried to knock her off. Daniel just smiled.

"I'm sure it'll warm up to you... you always were so good with animals." She shook her head.

"You're right, I suppose..." She frowned slightly. "It just feels... like this horse is different. I'm probably just being silly, I suppose." Her horse inched closer to the door.

"Well, someone looks eager to go for a run. Let's get riding, then." Regina nodded in Daniel's direction, signalling she was ready to ride.

The two horses trotted out of the stable, side by side.

* * *

The two rode through the woods, as the scenery in the forest was the more esthetically pleasing place to go riding.

Light filtered in through the treetops, splashing onto patches of grass. The many hues of nature sparkled in the crisp air. It was most certainly a beautiful morning, especially one to go riding.

"It's certainly beautiful out here, isn't it? Never knew how much greenery there was out here." Regina nodded, half-listening. She was completely mesmerized by the pure beauty of the flawless nature. Her horse stopped, quite suddenly, and she frowned.

"Hey..." She urged it to go forward, but it was standing still. Puzzled, she sighed and gave it a gentle nudge with her boot.

Still, nothing.

"Daniel!" She called ahead, causing him to stop and look over his shoulder.

"What is it? Why did you stop?" Daniel asked, turning his horse around and trotting over toward Regina's. She sighed impatiently.

"The horse... I think something's wrong with it. I mean, I know some horses are just plain... well, stubborn, but this one... it doesn't look to healthy, does it?" Regina asked, inspecting the horse's head carefully. It seemed a little sick, and Regina was about to say this to Daniel, until...

All of a sudden, as if struck by invisible lightning, the horse perked up, ears twitching. It pawed the ground with a strong hoof, _pawed_ the ground, and, took off at an incredible speed, the image of a confused Daniel shrinking away.

Regina gripped the reins tightly, trying to bring the wild horse to a stop.

...Something was definitely wrong.

Fear wracked Regina's mind, and she couldn't think straight; everything was a haze.

"Daniel!" She screamed, gasping for air. Her eyes widened when she realized what she was headed for.

The town line.

"Daniel!" Regina screamed, the town line becoming closer and closer. The steady sound of hoof-prints behind her gradually calmed her, but when she managed to steal a quick glance back, her heart sank. There was truly no way Daniel could reach her in time.

The horse shot over the town line like a rocket.

* * *

"Hey, guys, what's wrong-" Emma stopped right in her tracks.

She had been running errands in the sheriff's station earlier that day, but had to cancel after she received an urgent call from Grumpy... er, Leroy at the mines.

So, here she was.

"She's gone. Cora is gone." Grumpy said, words laced with shock and... was that fear? Emma swallowed.

"Son of a gun."

* * *

_**Reviews:**_

_**sevy MMAD: ^^**_

_**As a fan of Gold, myself, I doubt I'll keep him evil for much longer... :P**_

_**Ann: :P Thanks for reading! ^^ I'm glad you're enjoying!**_

_**EvilRegal: Aw, thank you! It's comments like those that keep me writing! ^^**_

_**IllusionOfOmniscientWolf: ^^**_

_***chuckles* I hope you enjoyed this chapter, dearie! ^^**_

* * *

_**I use a lot of texting icons when I'm doing reviews...**_

_**XD  
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_**Thank you all for reading, see you next chapter!**_

_**...well...**_

_**After I memorize the periodic table...**_


	44. The Town Line II

"Hey, guys, what's wrong-" Emma stopped right in her tracks.

She had been running errands in the sheriff's station earlier that day, but had to cancel after she received an urgent call from Grumpy... er, Leroy at the mines.

So, here she was.

"She's gone. Cora is gone." Grumpy said, words laced with shock and... was that fear? Emma swallowed.

"Son of a gun."

* * *

"Urgh." Regina managed to force her eyes open, and it was only then when she realized Daniel was shaking her awake.

"Daniel?" He smiled, and let out a sigh.

"Good, you're awake." She shook her head off, clearing her thoughts, memories forcing their way back into her brain.

So she hadn't lost her memory. But how had Daniel crossed the town line? How had she crossed the town line?

And, more importantly...

How did they regain their memories?

"What... Daniel, you crossed the line..." Regina mumbled, standing up shakily.

"Well... I guess it's because I was never a part of the curse, after all." He managed a weak smile.

"Thank goodness..." Regina eyed the ring. "It was this... it did work, after all." She closed her eyes. "Wait a minute..." She thought back to riding the horse. It hadn't been healthy... Or had it been? What if that horse was being controlled?

"Daniel, where is that horse I was riding?" Daniel stared at her in shock.

"You're not really saying you want to ride that thing, after it..." His voice trailed off, and she could see his confusion. His disappointment.

"No... just, do you know where it is?" Daniel frowned.

"Gone. It ran off into the woods. We won't be seeing it again. Ever." He stood slowly. "Do you want to go home? You're looking a little pale." Regina nodded.

"Yeah."

"Is something bothering you?" Daniel inquired, and it was then that Regina realized he was concerned for her.

"No... it isn't anything." Regina didn't want Daniel to get strung up in this situation, he had already done so much for her.

Would they never have peace? Would they never be alone to live their lives?

...She wondered, and not for the first time, what it must've been like to be the Charmings. Afraid. Never feeling safe, never being happy.

She chuckled to herself, it was so ironic that the tables had turned, it was so ironic she was in their place now.

"Come on... let's get you home." Daniel squeezed Regina's hand, leading her to their house.

Ursula silently eyed them from the woods, and in frustration, she squeezed the heart of Regina's paint horse to dust.

* * *

Daniel had assumed Regina was taking a nap upstairs. Daniel had assumed that she was just tired from the journey, and all the worry and stress that had been brought upon both of them lately.

But he had not assumed to go upstairs to find her room empty. Empty, with no note. No word, nothing to warn him, maybe tell him she was out for more eggs, more ham.

...Maybe, bacon? Tacos?

"Regina?" Daniel called into her room, hesitantly sneaking in.

The room was still completely empty.

He groaned and pulled himself into a sitting position next to the door. He just wished she would let him in... Of course, he knew how hard this all must be for her, she was trying so hard to change, after all. But that didn't change the fact that he felt completely empty inside, empty and helpless. He let out a heavy breath, letting all his fears and worries drift away in a soundless gesture on a cloud. No, he wouldn't be helpless, not anymore. He would find Regina, he would find her and stand by her side no matter what.

Determination coursed through his veins and he stood, strength and courage lacing his every movement.

"I'm coming for you, Regina."

* * *

Regina carefully picked her way through the woods. She stopped right where she had crossed the town line, her heart racing with fear and uncertainty.

"Going somewhere, are we?" Regina turned fast, extremely jumpy. She had a good reason to be.

"Ursula," She hissed through clenched teeth, silently praying her mask of rage would hide the scared girl inside.

Ursula laughed.

"Yes, hello darling, it sure is good to see you."

"Then I can assure you the pleasure's all yours," Regina replied, staring daggers at the woman in purple and gray. Ursula chuckled darkly, making Regina shudder.

"It was you... you framed my mother. You led us to her."

"Was it?" Cora asked. Regina blinked, and Cora let out a laugh before morphing back into Ursula..

"It was just too easy," Ursula continued, grinning evilly. "Think of that... Framed you, framed your dear mother, and now..." Ursula pretended to be doubtful. "And now, look where we are." Her mirthless smile was back.

Footsteps sounded behind the two enemies, and as Regina glanced over her shoulder, her eyes widened at the sight of one no other than Daniel, standing there with a firm grip on a sword.

"D-Daniel?" Regina stuttered, mouth slightly agape in shock. She had never seen Daniel handle a sword before, although she supposed there might've been something in his past she didn't know about. It then became clear to her that there wasn't as much as she knew about him that she thought she did.

She supposed that was something she would have to change later.

* * *

**_Hey, everyone, got some bad news for you._**

**_I was writing chapters 45, 46, and 47 in Pages, and all of a sudden, I was typing on a blank page! Pages deleted my stuff... AGAIN... (this isn't the first time it's happened...) So, there probably won't be any weekend updates... or previews... really sorry about this, guys... :( And please don't kill me..._**


	45. In The Night

"Really... you think that... that letter opener is going to kill me?" Ursula mused, as she eyed the two. With a wave of her hand, the blade had turned into water, keeping its shape as it fell to the ground in a messy splash.

Daniel sent Regina a sheepish glance.

...bzzzzzzzz...

Ursula's brow wrinkled a little, and she made a face as if she'd just concocted a curse and was smelling the pungent essence. Regina heard it, too, but she smiled at the familiar noise, the noise of only one spell she knew.

Daniel hadn't come alone.

Out of the, well, blue, the Blue Fairy leapt out of the bushes and hurled a charged immobilization spell directly at Ursula, the culprit of the loud humming noise.

Yes, it had been the sound of a spell charging.

Before Ursula realized what was happening, it was already too late. She glared at Regina, eyes burning with so much hatred, so much anger.

"It was all a trap."

Those familiar words, that familiar jumble, mix, of confused emotions merged with uncontrollable anger hit her like an arrow. It felt like all the breath had been sucked out of her gut. It was then when she truly realized that evil wasn't born; it was made. And there was only one culprit, there was only one thing to blame.

Magic.

Magic was their drug, their false ticket to a happy ending.

She shook her head. Why should she feel these things, why should she feel empathy towards the woman who had wanted to do nothing but hurt her and Daniel?

She realized, with a start, that this was what Snow must've felt like when she had been captured.

"W-wait," Regina said, trying not to sound suspicious. "Ursula." She paused, twisting her wedding ring around her finger. "Why did you come after me?" she asked, hating how childish and weak she sounded. Her tone faltered a bit and her gaze dropped to the floor, Ursula chuckling.

"Why do you think?" She snapped, her tone cold and icy. "Betrayal.." She confirmed, when Regina said nothing in response. "You betrayed me... you were my only friend, and you hurt me more than anyone else." Regina shook her head.

"You only hurt yourself... you would've done the same thing to me," she said, although her tone lacked conviction and the end of that sentence was no more than a hushed whisper.

"Would I?" Ursula quipped, raising one eyebrow, the immobilization magic still coursing through her figure in hues and ripples of blue. Daniel noticed Regina's uneasiness, and placed a hand comfortingly on her shoulder.

"Regina... the Blue Fairy can take care of her by herself. Let's leave this place," he said softly, glancing around the area briefly. Regina nodded stoutly.

As the two headed off, Regina's last sight in that area was one simple gesture; the Blue Fairy nodding simply in their direction.

Even when they reached their home, worry still clouded Regina's mind, and she still felt as if Ursula was there, watching her with that familiar mirthless smirk.

* * *

"Regina... do you want anything to eat?" She shook her head, eyes glued to the screen, even though she wasn't paying attention at all. Daniel sighed and placed the plate he had been holding onto the coffee table. "Regina... don't worry about it," he said, taking a seat next to her on the couch.

"How can't I?" She stuttered, making a helpless gesture. "I mean... she's just like me.. and what she said was true." She sighed and let her arms fall limply onto the couch in defeat. "I really was her only friend... and I turned around and stabbed her in the back."

"Regina..." Daniel started, taking her hands into his. "It isn't your fault she's the way she is." Regina shook her head the way she had so long ago, like that time when she couldn't kill Rumple's unicorn.

"What if you're wrong?" She asked simply. "What if she's the way she is now because of me?" She turned to face him, eyes wet with tears, shoulders sagging in exhaustion. "What if it's my fault... I mean, evil isn't born. It's made. I know that more than anyone else." Daniel pulled Regina close to him.

"I know we're going through a lot right now... but in the end, true love will prevail." Regina sobbed.

"But that's my point... Listen, Daniel, all my life, I've believed in one phrase. That one phrase, that true love is the most powerful magic of all. And for almost all of my life up until now, I've hated that phrase. I've hated it because... because it's true." She let out a breath, hiccuping slightly and rapidly, words slurred with exhaustion. Somehow, though, she managed to speak firmly. "And... and yet, I've always wondered why, why when I was good, why I had to lose to my mother. Evil. Why true love wouldn't prevail, not for me. And I had doubts, I had doubts what we had wasn't true love... but there's no way that is possible." She took a shaky breath. "So why should she be any different? What is the true meaning of a happy ending?" She frowned.

"Regina... We're happy," Daniel said, as if that changed anything.

"Yes... but you've forgotten the point, the point being that this curse was meant to be MY happy ending. And everything flipped, and it seemed like the world was at an end." She shuddered. "But I think we should let Ursula go." Daniel gawked at Regina.

"Regina... if we don't stop her now... the question is, what can't she do?"

"Well... maybe, that's the point," Regina retorted. "When I was in rule, I seemed to have much power. It was all a facade, I mean, look how fast we fell to Snow's rebellion?" She asked, eyes fiercely staring into Daniel's. "I got a chance... and she gets one, too."

"Listen, Regina... if you think that is what is right, then it will be so. But, listen to me, first." He stared deep into her eyes. "Let's give her a test... if she fails, then she crosses the line." Regina swallowed, looking uncertainly into Daniel's eyes.

"Very well, then. And, I have the perfect test planned for her already."


	46. Heartless

"Hello?" Regina asked, answering the door to find one no other than Emma waiting patiently on the doorstep.

"Oh, hello Mrs. Swan, is there anything you need?" Emma glanced around nervously, like she thought someone was there, or maybe knew someone was there.

"May I come in?" She asked in the most polite tone she could muster. There was clearly something important on Emma's mind if she wanted to come inside _her_ house, so Regina simply nodded and opened the door wider so Emma could come in.

"Cora escaped," She blurted quite suddenly once the door had been shut tightly. "We don't know when, but she was found absent from her cell this morning." Regina's gaze softened slightly at the mention of her mother, but otherwise, kept her firm and professional gaze.

"That reminds me... we were wrong. She didn't kill Archie." Emma stared at her, obviously bewildered, mouth slightly ajar as the impact of four words hit her like a bullet. She blinked in disbelief.

"Y- You mean, we locked up the wrong person?" Regina nodded simply.

"Just ask the Blue Fairy... she's making another cell for the real culprit. I heard the other one had been melted away with squid ink." Regina's mouth felt dry, she knew the question of who the culprit was would come up very soon, and she really didn't know how to explain Ursula to Emma.

"Then who _is_ the culprit?" Emma prodded, motioning for Regina to continue on. Regina hesitated for a moment. If she was planning on releasing Ursula, then she would need to keep the story believable, and yet, not make her seem like... well, like a witch.

She sighed.

"Ursula. Her name is Ursula. We were friends." Emma raised an eyebrow, but otherwise said nothing.

_Yeah, even I had friends_, she thought silently to herself, although the look on Emma's face was literally screaming, "Birds of a feather flock together!" She took a deep breath, summoning enough energy to continue her tale.

"One day, I paid her a visit, and found out she was planning to enact a curse to take us to another land. A curse that would _conflict_ with my own." Regina swallowed. "So... she died."

"You killed her," Emma said simply, gravely.

"Maybe," Regina said quietly. She swallowed hard, trying to ignore the look Emma was giving her. "Well, yes, I did kill her. But apparently I did a crap job, because she's still alive. She resents me, though, because as long as we are in this land, she can't enact her own curse. Unless I'm dead. So she tried to frame me to exact revenge, but ended up framing Cora instead." Regina added in dark conclusion.

Emma's face was stony, silent. "There's something you haven't mentioned," Emma said in a hushed whisper, attitude never changing, never altering.

"What?" Regina spoke sharply, eyes flickering with an emotion Emma didn't even know existed.

Emma stared at Regina coldly. "I mean you're hiding something from me. I know it." Regina chuckled nervously and wiped her sweaty palms off on the rough black fabric of her trench coat.

"And, Miss Swan, what would I _possibly_ be hiding from you? I've shared everything I know with you."

Lies, lies were all that she was speaking. Lies seeped through her teeth in that jumble, that mix of words she didn't want to say, and yet, that she needed to say. Emma stared at her with those unfathomable eyes, dark as a starless night.

"You haven't told me the full story." Regina shook her head.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have disappoint you; I have no clue at all of what you're talking about." She tried to pretend like she didn't know. She desperately clung onto the idea that Ursula could change. Change, like she had. And she clung onto that idea the way that a barnacle clings to the rough, jagged surface of a ship. Emma eyed her cautiously.

"Well... yes, there is more to the story," Regina blurted. "I... I think that Ursula can change, like I did. I mean..." The words came out in a confused, cluttered collection of syllables and vowels. She didn't know how she was supposed to say such a thing.

"Pardon?"

"Emma... just listen. I think we should let her go." Emma stared at her in bewilderment.

"That isn't up to you to decide," Emma said after a long moment of utter and awkward quietude. Regina took a deep breath, she wasn't about to give up so easy, she knew that this wasn't going to be an easy task from the beginning.

"No, this I am sure of. I have a test for her. A test that will prove if she can change or not. I already have the materials needed from Gold. If she fails the test, we send her across the town line." Emma chuckled, her expression turning stone-cold when she realized that Regina wasn't joking.

"If you think she can change... I don't trust you, but I suppose she'll end up across the town line anyway. So, yes, if she fails, though, her fate is for the town to decide." Regina held out her hand.

"Deal?" Emma eyed her hand as if it was poison. Regina frowned at this. "A handshake isn't going to kill you. Fast food will kill more than these hands." Emma reluctantly shook her hand in a swift movement.

"Deal."

* * *

_**Hey everyone, I'm back! ^^ I got my stuff back off of iCloud, FINALLY! _ **_

_**The next chapter will be the last! :( But in a sort of good way. I might continue this, if enough people want me to. :)**_


	47. The End?

Ursula was pretending to be inspecting a grungy pebble when the Queen walked by. Of course, she had noticed her presence for a while, it's something a witch can just do naturally. Especially a witch like her.

"Hello, Ursula." Ursula just chuckled, never glancing once in the Queen's direction or even bothering to acknowledge she was even there in the first place. She didn't want to look at the evil that had reduced her to this. So, she said nothing in response. She wasn't going to give Regina the satisfaction of letting her know she had won, once and for all.

"You know, it isn't illegal to say something as long as you're in there. Isn't like, well, everything you say will be used against you. I doubt that fairytale characters are about to hold a court trial, anyway," she said, eyeing Ursula quietly. She didn't quite know what to think of her old friend, as of now. She sighed impatiently.

"You going to say something, or are you going to fascinate over that rock some more?"

Still nothing. Regina was losing her patience, and she already felt a tiny tinge of the old Queen coming back, but she fought the urge to say more bitter words. After all, she wouldn't revert, not now, not after all she had done to change.

Well, a few snarky words here and there didn't necessarily mean you were evil, right?

"Fine." She pushed the key into the lock and flicked her hand to the side, and the cell door creaked open, hinges moaning in rusty protest. This would be too easy to break out of if one had magic, but Regina had vowed never to use magic again. It just wasn't worth the risk.

Without even looking up, Ursula chuckled.

"Have you gone mad?"

Regina said nothing in response to Ursula's remark and simply moved out of the way of the exit. She felt slightly relieved that Ursula was finally saying something, and not acting like a human statue.

"Go." Regina says simply. Ursula stood very slowly, and turned in Regina's direction. That mirthless smirk is as good as plastered on her face. Her grayish-blonde hair is slightly droopy and a bit bedraggled and limp. Other than that, though, she looks perfectly normal.

Well, as normal as someone like her can be.

"Just like that?" Regina froze at the familiarity of those words, but shook it off.

She wished she had taken her chance when she had been given one.

How hard it must be to give someone so many chances, to someone like me, too, Regina thought to herself.

"Just like that." Ursula warily eyed Regina as she slowly inched towards the door, in the manner that a caterpillar inches across a leaf. When Ursula reached the door, though, she stopped and stood still, eyeing Regina as if she were lunch and not a person. A Queen, nonetheless.

"Why are you doing this?" Regina frowned.

"Because... I wouldn't have been able to change if someone had given me the chance. So I'm giving you this chance. To change, to... leave all the evil behind in this cell," Regina said, quoting Snow, and she hoped things wouldn't happen the way they had happened with her.

"Well, darling..." Before she knew it, Regina had been pinned up against the wall. "I'm afraid that is going to be your downfall..."

Now! Now was the last chance, that last chance in that simple second, that simple second. She pulled the revolver out of her sleeve, and Ursula eyed it and chuckled.

"Did you really think you could kill me with this?" As she pulled it out of Regina's grip, she noticed Regina's eyes searching her own. Eyes that pleaded, begged not to.

The gun fell out of Ursula's grip, and she was gone in an instant.

Regina slid down into a sitting position next to the wall, shock setting in as well as realization. In those few seconds, everything had changed.

"She passed," she whispered in a hushed voice, so low she could barely hear herself. She realized she was a little pale from shock. "She passed."

Little did she know, the worst was yet to come.

* * *

"Cora?"

There was only silence on the other end of the barrier keeping her outside her mother's house.

"Mom?"

The door swung open almost immediately.

"Regina!" She could hear the tenderness in her voice, the joy and... was that love? Her expression was softer than she had ever seen it, and she could've sworn Cora was close to tears.

In a way, she reminded her of herself.

"I know you didn't kill Archie," Regina said simply.

"Regina... I..." She shook her head.

"It doesn't matter... not anymore."

Cora smiled, lips curling up at the edges, eyes shining.

It freaked Regina out.

"Listen... Cora... mom... I'm going to give you another chance. Because I never could've changed if I had been given the chance. There's just one thing I ask of you. Change. Please, for both of us. For the town, for me." Cora nodded darkly, although Regina couldn't tell if she sincerely loved her, or if it was just a play to regain control over her once more.

But seeing her now, seeing how she had crossed over the line because of guilt, well, that was what she assumed, anyway, seeing her as this person, she doubted it was the latter, after all.

"I'll change. For you, anything," Cora said firmly. Regina smiled genuinely.

Yes, second chances meant everything, didn't they?

She wouldn't be where she was now without them.

* * *

**_12 YEARS LATER_**

* * *

"I'm going to be going out for a walk, so can you watch Clara for a spell?" Daniel nodded and kissed her in the forehead.

"Just watch out for the ogres," He said with a little smile. Regina laughed.

"Regina?" She turned to see a woman in white entering the room. She smiled.

"Snow." The two embraced for a quick moment.

"I was traveling, and thought I'd stop by at your palace," she said sweetly. Regina chuckled.

"You don't just 'stop by' at a palace, dear." Snow giggled.

"How have things been?" Snow pondered this for a moment.

"Good. The ogres have been driven off, and we're currently working on rebuilding the palace." She shook her head.

"Mother?" A little girl came running into the room in this moment.

"Hi, Clara," Snow said, kneeling down to Regina's daughter's height.

"Snow!" Clara chirped cheerfully, in that way of hers. Snow smiled.

"Long time no see, huh?" Regina watched Snow and Clara interact for a minute, before she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"I think we did pretty good," Daniel whispered into her ear. She turned to face him and she smiled.

"I agree." She shook her head.

"It's a good thing we got away for a while, I think. I mean, Storybrooke had no hopes for us, but the Enchanted Kingdom does. It gives us all a fresh start." She chuckled.

* * *

Regina strolled down the path to the Enchanted Forest. The familiar smell of enchantment and pine swirled around her, and she smiled to herself.

This walk, in particular, evoked powerful memories. She remembered secretly riding here with Daniel sometimes.

Those had been memories that would last with her for a lifetime.

She noticed Red and Granny, and she smiled and waved in their direction. Red waved back cheerfully. Nothing was different from any of them, they were all the same. She was Regina now, not the Evil Queen.

Yes, she had made memories here, unforgettable memories, but this was her chance to make more.

* * *

**Epilogue**

In the end, the characters of Storybrooke were transported back to their homeland with the help of Cora, where each and every one of them picked up the pieces. The ogres were slowly driven off, and Snow became the White Queen. The land was peaceful at last.

Regina ended up rebuilding her own palace, and lent a hand in helping repair everything the curse had destroyed.

Snow White, Prince Charming, and Emma became close friends with Regina and were able to finally look past the past.

Henry went on to become a knight, and Regina couldn't be more proud of him. He often visited Regina and Daniel while traveling the lands, and eventually Clara.

Gold and his son, Baelfire, were reunited at last, and the last of darkness in the land was gone.

Even Cora had changed.

Regina couldn't be happier.

* * *

**The End?**

* * *

_**Happy ending for everyone! XD I'm trying to decide whether or not to do a sequel or not, or maybe a part two to this story, etc. **_

_**I hope you enjoyed the ending, and to those of you who are reading this, thank you for sticking with this story until the end!**_

_**I will be posting something new tomorrow, whether or not it's a sequel to this, or a new story!**_

_**UPDATE: I will be continuing my story, The Past, Present, And The Future due to popular demand. :) It's Stable Queen, and I hope to see some of you there!**_


	48. Part Two: She's back

Ursula smashed the magical vase on the countertop in frustration and anger. Digging her fingernails into the wood of her enchanted desk, she let out a low growl. What did this even mean? How could someone like Regina let her go? Her anger bubbled over and exploded like a overloaded rice cooker, and she hurled the desk across the room in pure frustration.

She wasn't going to let this pass easily. Not at all.

Her revenge plan still stood.

* * *

"Daniel!" Regina ran right into the arms of her beloved, crying a little bit. She didn't know what to think. Part of her was still wondering what had just happened. There was just too much to take in.

"What happened?" Daniel asked, rubbing her back comfortingly.

"She passed, barely," Regina said, still a little traumatized from the whole experience. Just imagine that, the Evil Queen was traumatized.

"Then what's the matter?" Regina shook her head.

"I'm sorry, I think I just need to lie down for a minute."

And with that, Regina fainted.

* * *

The world washed in and out in waves of darkness and light, all jumbled and distorted. When Regina opened her eyes, she was blinded by bright light, the different colors swirling about in a nightmarish kaleidoscope of colors. Her eyes gradually adjusted to the many hues of the world.

"Regina?" She sighed in relief at that voice, that voice that brought comfort over her in heavy waves of emotion. "You okay?" She nodded and sat up, finding herself on the soft blue fabric of her couch inside her living room. Her face contorted, and she made a pained gesture, trying to sit up,

"Yeah...I think so..." She moaned, flopping helplessly onto the fluffy piece of furniture. "I just have this... really weird feeling. Like I didn't do something right..." Daniel shook his head.

"You did the best you could," he said, cupping her cheek tenderly, and placing a kiss on her cheek.

"Where do we go from here?" Regina asked. Daniel smiled.

"I think now, we have a new chance at life," he said. "We can prove to the town that you've become a much better person..." Regina furrowed her brow, and mustering all the energy she could, sat up shakily. Daniel helped her sit up for a moment before she regained control over her features. She waved a hand dismissively, signaling she was fine.

"Can they? Can they really look on from the past, can they let go of all I've done? Daniel, you might know what happened before, but you didn't see it with your own eyes." Daniel put a hand on her shoulder, and rubbed her back comfortingly.

"Regina... you're a good person. It doesn't matter what you've done in the past. You aren't a monster." Regina locked eyes with him for just a split second.

"How do you know that?" she whispered, before standing up and running out of the room, her eyes flooding with tears.

* * *

There was a stranger in Storybrooke.

No one took it lightly, of course. (Ironically, he had crashed into their new sign.) Upon visiting him in secrecy at the hospital, though, Regina knew that something was up with this stranger. She caught a glimpse of fear flickering in his eyes, and she realized he knew. That he had seen it.

Magic.

This could be their downfall. They had to get back to the Enchanted Forest, no matter what the cost. Because if they didn't... there would be nothing left of them.

But how were they to return home?

Those questions haunted her every night, when she should've been sleeping. Not to mention the fact that absolutely no one had seen Maleficent for weeks now. It was like she had vanished.

Regina had not seen her since the incident at the well, and she knew something was up. They were going to be facing trouble soon, and Regina knew it. It was like a gloomy cloud had settled over Storybrooke, locking away the last weak rays of hope, of light.

"Regina..." Daniel said, noticing her lying awake in bed. "I know you're worried about everything, but please just try to go back to sleep. Dwelling on a single subject is only going to make it worse."

So she did. She tried, she did the best she could, but despite the darkness and fear clouding her emotions, she somehow managed to look on.

As the days passed, however, the situation worsened, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

* * *

Regina downed another cup of coffee, placed it on the mahogany wood of her dining table, and glanced at her watch. It was early morning now, and she was already finished with four cups. She had stopped going to Granny's because of the odd looks all the customers gave her, so now she just brought breakfast home.

She was so affected by everything she couldn't even bear to cook, not to mention sleep. Every time she tried to close her eyes, dark dreams plagued her mind. She knew very well what would happen if the world came to Storybrooke for a long time now, but she had been so preoccupied with matters after the curse had been broken that she didn't even notice it until now. Besides, it wasn't like she really paid attention to the after effects of the curse; she didn't stop to think that it would be broken in the first place.

A hand on her shoulder snapped her out of her thoughts, and she glanced up at Daniel.

"Something wrong?" Regina sighed, and nodded, she didn't want to lie to Daniel. "Do you want to tell me about it?" She shook her head.

"It... I mean, I want to, but it's just driving me crazy... you have no idea what the world would do if they came to Storybrooke. Daniel sighed. "I mean, I'm not trying to be mean or anything, but I just... you wouldn't understand it," she stuttered, her voice laced with emotion. "Because... I... just want to know what happens next. Are we going to meet our match here? No one will listen to me."

"Regina... I'm right here, and I'm willing to listen. Completely," Daniel added, his patience washing over her in quiet waves.

"I mean... I just wanted to talk to Maleficent. But no one's seen her, and that really gets me worried." she sighed in frustration. "Will you just leave me be," she snapped, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Daniel nod simply and exit the room.

She felt so guilty in that split second, because it was then when she realized he was tearing up.

* * *

_**I'm back! After a long, LOOOONG, LOOOOOOONG break! :P Anyway, I hope most of my readers haven't vanished...**_

_**With all that said, thank you all for reading! I will be doing my best to keep updates daily, and, thank you!**_


	49. Your Every Wish Is My Command

Regina stared into the cup full of steaming chestnut-shaded liquid. It had been so long since she had been able to sit down like a normal person and just... relax. She remembered the peace and happiness she had felt (even if only for a few moments,) when she had enjoyed a cup of peppermint cocoa with Daniel. But that had been so long ago, she felt like she was standing on an endless road, and that memory was a mile away from her. She had become a different person than she had been back then.

How long had it been? Weeks? Months? Maybe even a year? Her life already felt like that long, narrow, endless road, that road stretching a thousand miles long, and yet, she felt she had only traveled part of her life, like she still had millions more of miles to discover.

The girl she had been a thousand miles ago, once upon a time, simply wasn't her anymore. She wasn't the Evil Queen, she wasn't a submissive daughter, she was simply Regina, and that was all there was to it. She took a deep breath then hesitantly took a sip from the mug, her lips quivering slightly from the intense heat. A tear dashed down her cheek and shattered on the dark brown mahogany that made up the kitchen tab;e.

She just wanted a peaceful life. Every time she tried to change, there was always something in the way. Now, when things had finally settled down, she had to deal with stress. Sighing, she stood and poured the remainder of the drink down the kitchen drain. She needed something stronger, so she lazily stumbled over to the wine cabinet, and selected a drink.

Ironically, it was the same drink she had offered Emma on her first day in town.

She scoffed at the very thought of Emma. That one woman had changed anything. She poured herself a glass, downed the contents fast, then pressed an elbow onto the table and leaned into the wood, resting her head on her hand.

Emma had lied. She had promised she wasn't going to be an issue, she wasn't going to take Henry away from her.

She should've known that scum like Emma would lie. That's all she was meant to do, anyway.

Finding the bottle empty, she almost danced over to the cabinet, taking a random bottle, before pausing and selecting several.

It was going to be a long night, she dryly supposed.

Why couldn't she have seen the truth? Emma and her family of idiots had ripped everything she loved away from her. First, Daniel, then her chance, then Graham, and finally Henry.

A tear blossomed in her eye. It just wasn't fair. She had been good so long ago, once upon a time, but why did she deserve this? Why did she lose when she had been just a child, a lovesick child in search of nothing more than a happy ending? She had her whole life ahead of her, she had such excitement spelled out for her.

So why? Why should she lose?

It was simple. Good didn't always win. A happy ending wasn't for everyone.

She knew Gold wasn't always the way he was. She knew that something had created him, as well. She knew, because the look she sometimes saw in his eyes was the exact same she had seen in her mother's eyes, up until now. Maybe she had even had that look.

That look where you could see almost every emotion they had even known, to feel what they had felt. That feeling where the whole world was collapsing around you. Where you were drowning in a nightmarish abyss of endless and infinite loneliness, and you were yelling for help, for someone to save you, but no one was there to hear you.

Where you were all alone.

Was that what made evil? Loss, loneliness?

She groped around for another bottle, but they were all empty, and she sighed and put her head in her hands. She wanted to scream. It was just too much to bear.

She wanted to change, but she wasn't given the chance yet. Why wouldn't, no, why couldn't they just see the truth? She had tried so hard to change for Henry, but now she wanted to change for Daniel as well. Both people made her want to be a better person. That was how much she valued them.

They made her feel guilt, loss, anguish. They showed her what her life could've been like if she hadn't gone down a path of darkness. She was struggling to escape from that road, but it was no use, none at all.

"Why can't I just get drunk already, so I can forget about all this?" she grumbled to herself.

When would she live again? How could she live again? Henry... she never even saw him anymore. He was probably happy with Emma, she told herself.

* * *

The front door swung open and Daniel walked in, pausing at the sight of Regina.

"What the hell?" Regina tried to slur a response but only giggled. Daniel shook his head.

"Come on, we have to get you upstairs," he said patiently, lending an arm for her to lean on. The two of them made it to the top of the stairs with much effort, and Daniel was pretty sure Regina had passed out halfway.

He placed her on the bed, sighing to himself.

All Regina really needed was someone to stand by her, and that was exactly what he was going to do.


	50. Dinah

Regina's head was pounding and her ears were ringing when she snapped her eyes open. How much had she had to drink last night? She leaned over to go see what time it was on the digital clock, freezing when she saw a chestnut-colored kitten right next to her.

"D... Daniel?" she stuttered, freezing at the sight of this intrusive and most certainly unwelcome kitten.

"Yeah?" Good, he was still in bed, and hopefully that meant she hadn't had too much to drink.

"What the hell is this kitten doing here?" Daniel looked at her mildly.

"Oh, well... I was walking past the pet shelter, and thought it was cute," Daniel said, as if he was talking about purchasing a pair of trousers and not a kitten.

"B..but what are we going to do with it?!" Regina started, leaning back into the comforting embrace of the mattress and tiredly rubbing her hand against her forehead.

"Nothing. It's a house cat." Regina groaned.

"But we'll have to feed it, and take care of it, and... where the hell did you go yesterday? You stormed right out of the house." Regina realized.

"I went to go get you a pet, you've been so stressed lately," Daniel said quietly. Regina pressed her face into the pillow.

"Daniel... it's unsafe to go out, you hear me?" she said, her voice muffled from the pillow. "What if the world decides to come to Storybrooke? Like, real people! That haven't seen magic, that haven't..." her voice trailed off. "What do you think they would do with a dead person and a Evil Queen?!"

"Don't call yourself that. I hate it when you do that," Daniel snapped. Regina froze.

"Okay, well, it's just so dangerous out here, but you just don't understand. I know we have to go back there later, to the Enchanted Forest, but I don't want to. It's like waking up from a dream to find yourself in a nightmare," she groaned, and she realized her eyes were full of tears. "What happens if we go back and they see and remember what I've done? I don't want that to happen," she said, and picked up the kitten off of the digital clock and started stroking its fur gently.

"Regina, it won't. I promise. Remember, good will always win," he reiterated.

"But then why didn't we win the first time? Why did we deserve differently than others?" Regina asked tearfully.

"Regina, there was no way we could've escaped your mother, we had no idea what we were up against," Daniel said. "We won in the end," he added as an afterthought. Regina groaned.

"Okay... you know what, I don't even want to think about it anymore... I'm just going to take Dinah downstairs for-" Regina froze.

"Dinah?" Daniel inquired.

"You know, the cat?" Regina asked, raising an eyebrow. "The one you bought?" Daniel smiled.

"I'll see you and Dinah downstairs for breakfast."

* * *

Regina focused hard on the road, the gentle hum of the car sounding in her ears. Dinah sat in the seat next to her, and for the life of her, she didn't even know why she had taken the kitten along with her, although she had to admit Dinah was cute. Maybe she could get another one later and name it Rocinante after her horse.

She looked out the side of the window, the car's tires crackling loudly against the rocks sprinkled across the road. She saw Granny speaking with Red on the side of the curb, they were probably arguing again, and she noticed Jefferson and Maleficent casually taking a stroll down the side. She gave Dinah a pat on the head and-

Maleficent and Jefferson?!

She flung the door open and dashed onto the sidewalk, her feet tapping soundlessly, well, almost soundlessly, against the paved surface.

"Maleficent?" she smiled and turned to Regina. "Wh- what... where were you all this time?!" she stuttered. Maleficent shrugged.

"Places," she answered simply. Regina folded her arms across her chest.

"Jefferson, do you know...?" He shook his head, and she let out an annoyed huff. "You cannot believe what a relief it is to see you, Maleficent..." she said, eyeing Jefferson carefully.

Something was wrong, so wrong here.

She chuckled. Now she finally realized.

"You aren't Jefferson, are you?" She asked, simply, causing both Jefferson and Maleficent to scowl.

"Darling Regina, what are you talking about?" Maleficent asked innocently. Regina snorted.

"That's Ursula." A cloud of purple smoke surrounded Jefferson and as the cloud scattered, Ursula was visible.

"My dear, sweet child, however did you know?" Maleficent asked. Regina grimaced.

"Well... Let's just say that you left a huge hole in the middle of your plans..." Regina paused, watching their reactions as the information sunk in. "First of all, I knew something when Ursula somehow found out I would be in the woods. See, Maleficent, you've been under a spell this whole time. There is only one person who can do that, and that is Ursula. She manipulated you into telling her our plans to restore Daniel with the well, and she used that to her advantage." she paused, smirking at the look Ursula was giving her.

"You used your shell to hypnotize her." She pointed a finger accusingly at Ursula. "You're the culprit behind all of this." Ursula scowled, ripped the shell necklace away from Maleficent, and vanished.

"It was a mistake to let you go," Regina finished.

* * *

_**Most of this chapter was silly, I know... well, I was feeling silly today. Plus I have been writing WAAAY to much angst. -_-**_

_**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! ^^**_

_**Regina's cat is named Dinah after Alice's cat in Alice In Wonderland. :)**_


	51. Wonderland

"Maleficent... are you all right?" Her old friend nodded, and Regina helped her up to a shaky stand. "What happened?"

"I can't remember," Maleficent said, looking slightly nauseous. She glanced around, confused. "What just happened?" Regina bit her lip. That was a normal reaction towards losing her memory, but she knew Maleficent had no need to remember, anyway.

"Oh, it's okay," Regina said reassuringly. "We're okay now... do you know where you live?" Maleficent nodded. "Do you need a ride?" She shook her head and Regina sighed. She could tell when her friend was pretending. She just didn't want to appear more confused than she actually was. Which, in a way, reminded her of herself.

"You clearly need a ride... just get in the car, okay?" She pleaded, hoping that Maleficent would just get in the car. Maleficent furrowed her brow.

"I'm perfectly capable of walking myself home," she said in a dark tone. Regina just chuckled, because she remembered that time they had practiced menacing tones when Regina had first started learning magic... Ah, those were the days...

"Uh huh, and now, I'm taking you home in my car," Regina said patiently, watching Maleficent as she threw her arms up in frustration, before clambering into the front seat, eyeing Dinah oddly.

"..."

"Don't ask," Regina said.

* * *

Regina placed her leather purse on the table quietly.

"Did you get breakfast?" Daniel asked from where he was resting on the couch.

"Oh gods, I forgot!" Regina dashed towards the table and snatched her purse up. Daniel raised an eyebrow.

Regina sighed.

"I ran into Maleficent," she admitted. "I found out she was cursed by Ursula, just no one realized it." Daniel had a look of concern displayed across his face, and she could hear the worry lacing his tone while he spoke.

"You mean you encountered Ursula again?" He was struck speechless when she nodded sullenly. He was close to her now, so close she could feel the warmth of his breath on her neck. He gently took her hands into his. "Regina, she's dangerous, now that we know she hasn't changed. You need to promise me you'll watch out for her. Please. I can't bear to lose you." Regina nodded simply.

"I understand... but, thank you, Daniel. I doubt anyone cares about me more than you do," she said sincerely. Daniel smiled warmly.

"I love you," he said, and Regina pulled him close for a passionate kiss, lips tingling once they had pulled apart. "I'll see you with the food, then," she said after a moment of silence. She sent a vivid smile in his direction, and he nodded awkwardly before releasing her hands.

* * *

Regina quietly walked along the streets, wind quietly flitting across her skin and face in refreshing, cool waves. She couldn't quite comprehend what was happening to this town, but despite all the bitterness and hatred she still somehow held deep down in her heart, she knew she had to do something.

She was one step away. One tiny little leap away from finding her true happy ending. Sometimes you need to take a few steps back to see the leap. But she was tired of backing away, she was tired of fighting. She just wanted happiness, but was that ever going to become possible?

She didn't have the power to send them all home. But she knew who could, who had power to do such a thing.

Cora.

She knew what was going to come next. She knew that Cora was going to have to help them open a portal. But not to the Enchanted Forest.

To Wonderland.

* * *

"Do you still have... a way home, maybe a looking glass?" Cora nodded, her look stern, yet silent.

"I have a way to Wonderland... but why?" Cora asked, attention hovering darkly over Regina like a thick, restricting embrace. Regina shuddered and took a deep breath, trying to ignore the surreptitious attitude cloaking the heavy mood.

"I think if we get to Wonderland, we can all find a way back to the Enchanted Forest." Cora smirked.

"Back to that forest, into the woods, lost in that pathetic nightmare? My dear, sweet child, you must understand, when people get back, when they remember the damage you've caused... You will regret your actions," Cora crooned. Regina raised her chin defiantly, and spoke with clear, powerful conviction.

"And where else would we go?" she asked firmly. "We are here in Storybrooke, but soon the world will be, and who the hell knows what they would do to... say, a portal jumper, or someone with the power to use magic. These are people whose only reality is the ground they walk upon, but when the road becomes uneven, what do you propose will happen? What would they do to people like us?" Cora remained silent, contemplating this twist of events. "Exactly my point," she remarked dryly. "You have to help us get home, it's the only thing left for us." Cora nodded simply.

"Very well... I'll see it done."

* * *

_**Sigh...long time no update! :|**_

_**I know you guys are probably ready to kill me, but this weekend was just insane... I went to a five-hour audition, so... yeah. -_- Again, so sorry, and... yeah...**_


	52. Falling

As the days fluttered by, the suspense thickened. Cora and Gold eventually worked out a deal to return home, they all agreed everyone would certainly perish if they stayed there.

There was only one more riddle to solve; the riddle of the looking glass.

Regina didn't know much about traveling through portals, and it was clear she would have to pay a visit to Jefferson to find out...

"How dare you mock me!" Jefferson practically screamed. "I was free of that place, free at last, in that place where you trapped me!" Regina swallowed hard, eyes glinting with determination.

"I..."

She froze at the sight of Emma running straight up to her.

"Regina... thank goodness," she panted. "I... there was, a, um, woman in town. And I think Cora's done something to her," she added. Regina frowned.

"I... I'll go see her, then.

* * *

Hatter was falling, falling for what seemed to be an eternity. Her knife had vanished from sight long ago, and as the two fell, the darkness intensified. The tunnel narrowed, and, startled, she realized that sooner or later, when she hit the ground, she would meet her end.

She heard a startled gasp from the White Knight, Jack, and it became clear to her he had realized this dark truth too.

Hatter hit the ground with a thud, hearing a sickening crack. All the breath was forced out of her lungs, and she shallowly gasped for blessed breath, sucking in sweet air, flinching when she felt something narrowly scraping her insides, knowing her rib had probably snapped and was scraping against her lungs.

Hatter couldn't make out what happened next, because her vision was blurring and there were already black spots in her sight. She was suddenly tired, and she closed her eyes to go to sleep.

The last thing she remembered was seeing a woman shout and point in her direction, startled.

* * *

Hatter's eyes snapped open, and she tried to sit up, only to feel a burning sensation from her ribcage. A metal ring was secured tightly against her arm, restraining her and keeping her shut to the bed, and she grimaced in pain and tried to shake it loose.

She heard a soft groan, and mustering all the energy she could, she turned her head to see none other than Jack lying quietly in the cot next to my own. In that second, she wished she had her knife, for it was his fault she was trapped here.

"Hm." She heard a voice next to her, and would've glanced in their direction, if not for their approaching me on their own. The two locked eyes for a brief moment, and she could've sworn she saw a flash of anger burning bright in her eyes.

"Where... am... I?" Hatter asked weakly, her voice sounding hoarse and scratchy. The back of her throat was dry, and she still could barely breathe. The sheets enveloping her crinkled slightly as she weakly tried to pull away from the bondage keeping her trapped there.

"Give it a rest. Where are you from, and who did you bring with you?" Hatter scrutinized the blonde woman.

"Excuse me?" she stuttered, trying not to sound afraid.

"You and him were found by the road this evening. You obviously are from our world, so who. Are. You." Hatter chuckled, not amused in the slightest.

"You're beginning to sound like the caterpillar." Emma frowned.

"Okay, well, I'm guessing you're from Wonderland?" she guessed. Hatter visibly paled, although she wasn't sure how devoid of energy she was. She was a good liar, of course, but she knew she couldn't pull it off, not in a condition like this.

"..."

"Well, that answers one question," the blonde woman said, sighing. Hatter squinted.

"Who are you?" The blonde looked startled at the sudden question.

"Me? You can call me Emma..." Hatter smiled.

"Hatter." Emma's eyes widened.

"Wait a minute... what?" Emma said, blankly staring at the woman lying in the hospital bed. "How..." She frowned. "Who are you, really?"

* * *

For days Hatter lay in bed, dying inside while the world lived on. She hated them, she hated them all. How dare they confine her and keep her locked up in an invisible cage. She swore she would kill them all, she would make them pay, and she would kill Jack.

She had to wait for her chance, had to pick her footsteps very carefully. So she waited for her chance, finding it when steak was served as a meal, and hid the knife in her pocket.

Everything was ready.

When the clock struck late at night, she snuck up to his bed, grimacing in pain at the sudden movement. Her body was in great pain, but she would kill Jack, then she could rest and finally put an end to her tragic existence. She trembled in pain as she inched closer to the sleeping form. She scoffed at the sight of him, broken and bruised. She would be doing him a favor.

She raised the knife in her trembling grip and...

Something strong smashed her into the wall, and she heard the sound of mighty footsteps. If she had been in pain before, she was in agony now. The knife scattered a few feet away. No! She couldn't lose now!

The sound of stiletto heels seemed to smash her eardrums, and her ears were already ringing. She felt a hand gripping her throat and dragging her up against the wall.

...No.

She fought! Oh, how she fought, but it was no use. How had the Queen of Hearts found her, how had Cora...

"Hello, Hatter," she said in a menacing tone, as Hatter clawed desperately at her throat, and Cora just chuckled. She seemed to be enjoying the fact she was strangling her adversary. "You know, you really are stupid. I can't believe you would think everything would be simple as that. You must really have no brains under that hat of yours." Her mouth twisted into a sickening grin, and Hatter tried to kick at her the best she could. "Have anything to say?"

She released her at last, and Hatter fell hard onto the floor, gasping and choking for air. Cora kicked her to the side of the room, crouching down next to her.

"Next time you go up against me, then you should plan things a bit better," she said sharply into her ear.

* * *

_This is it, Hatter thought. She was going to kill that wretched Alice, then overtake the Queen. The land would be hers at last._

_She had planned this for years._

_"You see, your Majesty, Alice is a traitor," she had said, grinning coldly when the Queen had smiled in approval._

_She had been amazed to be accepted as the Queen's secretary, she knew all her darkest secrets and plans for beheadings._

_"Alice has been planning from the start to kill you and overtake the power," she had added in conclusion, causing Cora to scowl._

_"My, my... that won't do..." She had frowned, glancing over the execution list once more. "But... I see seven beheadings. And six names." Hatter had grinned at this. She knew very well that the seventh slot was reserved for Cora herself, but she didn't say anything._

_"The seventh slot is... a wild card slot," she had said. Cora had just nodded. It had all been so easy._

_And then the beheading had come. Only Hatter was not expecting to find a livid Cora. She had discovered her entire plan, thanks to a betrayal from the March Hare._

_She had attempted to kill Alice in the short amount of time she had, but she was stopped by none other than Jack, the White Knight, Alice's own Prince Charming._

_Only the Queen had banished them to the future in a world where there would be no happy endings._

_So they had fallen through the very barrier of time._

_Into Storybrooke._

* * *

_**So people are probably ready to shout "Off with her head!" at me, heh... that would be the second time I died this week... *_***_

_**I really wanted to add Hatter, because... she's really fun to write for. Did you notice this chapter was like, 400 words longer than normal?! So, yeah... It's just a new thing I'm experimenting.**_

_**If it's stupid, please tell me, but also, she won't be around for long. When we-**_

_**...I'm going to even spoil anything here. XD**_

_**I'll also be using the next chapter to dig a little deeper into Hatter's character, oh, yes, and she's Hatter from Frank Wildhorn's Broadway musical, Wonderland.**_

**_Please tell me if you're confused, and I'll try to do my best to explain to you guys._**

_**(And I told you I was a Broadway geek... -_- I'll be lucky if I keep my head long enough to see OUaT this Sunday...)**_


	53. The Mad Hatter

"Found bleeding in the corner this morning..."

"...surprised she managed to pull through..."

"Will have to go through extensive surgery..."

"...stranger... not safe..."

"...found in the..."

Hatter awoke in a smooth transition between sleep and awareness. She felt terrible, and her lips were dry and cracked, and felt numb. For a brief moment, she wondered if she was dead now, she was amazed Cora hadn't killed her in revenge for what she had done to the woman.

"Hello," a woman next to the bed said suddenly. Hatter would've jumped, but she was too weak to do so. She must've let her guard down, because she normally didn't let things slip by like that. "Sorry, did I startle you?" she asked sweetly. Hatter tried to chuckle but it came out as a loud cough. "You look like you're really thirsty... here," the woman said, hastily handing her a cup filled with water. Hatter gulped it down, letting out a loud pant once she had finished. She had felt like she had been eating dust, she was so thirsty.

"T...thank you," she said, hating how she sounded. She knew, though, that in order to survive, she had to be able to get people to like her. Especially if she was up against Cora.

"Regina," the woman said, offering a hand. Hatter scrutinized her, before reluctantly shaking her hand.

"Ha- Hattie," she said, realizing how stupid the nickname sounded. Regina, as she was apparently called, frowned.

* * *

This had to be the work of Cora. Regina had absolutely no doubt now. She suspected that Hattie, or whatever her name really was, didn't realize how fragile she looked, despite her cold and relatively brazen attitude. She recognized some of those scars to be similar to hers, and she restlessly traced the scar across her lip.

"I... Um, who is he?" Regina asked, making a motion towards Jack. Hattie sighed.

"Jack." Regina let out an anguished groan.

"Listen, I think you already know why I'm here. I want to know who you are and how you got here." Hattie sighed again in defeat.

"I'm from Wonderland," she admitted. Regina had taken a seat, and leaned forward in genuine interest. "People call me Hatter... well, I guess that's a bit obvious." she let out a dark chuckle, and Regina swallowed grimly.

"I was... um, planning to overtake the Queen of Hearts. I wanted to rule Wonderland. But then dear Alice had to come in and jazz things up..." she paused for a moment, and Regina had seen the dark expression on her face at the thought of Alice.

"She was the only one more powerful than me," Hatter explained. "And I had to get rid of her. So I kidnapped her daughter, hoping that I would prevail." she sighed here, but the way she did it made Regina shudder. It was a sigh of regret, regret she hadn't vanquished her own enemy.

"I failed, though... I revealed to her I was actually her counterpart... that whenever she felt bad or held pain in her heart, it became a part of me... It was true. By then, I wasn't expecting a fight from her. I had told the Queen that she had tried to kill her, that that was her objective for coming to Wonderland in the first place. And I filled out her name in the last slot in secret. I don't know how, but she found it, and in a rage, banished me to this world. In the future," she added.

Regina was completely silent, absorbing this information like a sponge.

"He ended up with me on accident... he always wanted to be a hero." Hatter laughed again, although Regina could tell it was false and laced with hatred. "When I tried to kill Alice before the Queen could banish me forever, he pushed me aside and kept me rom escaping. The Queen banished us both on accident." Regina sighed and swallowed again.

"I... I, um, know how hard transition is, but I'm here to warn you, and to ask you a question. Do you know how to get back to Wonderland?" Hatter snorted.

"Not like I would tell you even if I knew how to... we're stuck here. Dunno what you want to get back there for, but it isn't happening. Now what did you want to warn me about?" Regina ignored her question.

"Storybrooke... the real world is coming here. What do you suppose would happen should people, ordinary Joes, cross over the line and see magic, what would happen then? They would study us to death for sure." Hatter sent a harsh glare in her direction.

"Why not leave?" she hissed through clenched teeth. "Why not get out of here and go to New York, perchance?" Regina looked mildly amused.

"We can't... which reminds me of what I wanted to warn you about. See, if you cross the town line, you become a shadow of yourself. You lose your memory of who you were back then." Regina gulped at Hatter's excited expression.

"Well, as you can suppose, I will be crossing over there." Regina froze at the sound of that sentence, and for a moment, regretted deeply she had told Hatter about the line.

"That isn't the only thing," she said simply. "If you cross over the line, you can never return to the Enchanted Forest."

"Then I'll be free of that hellhole," Hatter snapped, the look on Regina's face clearly showing she was unamused with Hatter. Very unamused. "I need to forget. There is nothing... nothing left for me!" Regina bit her lip. She remembered how close she had once been to crossing over the town line.

She had been driving home from a session at Archie's. She knew she wouldn't, no, couldn't change, and it had come down to one thing; crossing the town line. Henry didn't need her, he needed his mother, and all her existence here was doing was confusing him.

Until she had seen Daniel, and fate had intervened.


	54. A Crocodile To Skin

Regina let out a sigh of anguish and slid into a sitting position on the hard leather couch.

She didn't know how to approach Daniel with this news, the news that there was a new arrival to Storybrooke. She needed Cora to be calm, anyway, if she even wanted to think about getting home. All their hope, all their wishes and dreams rested upon Cora's shoulders, and she had to make sure that they wouldn't be lost after all. She was the only one who could give them what they wanted, as usual.

And yet, she knew Hatter was hiding something from her. She could already tell there was more to the woman than one would believe. She could see it in the way she behaved around her, and there was something locked in a tight embrace in her fiery red eyes that indicated clearly to Regina she had yet to understand the redhead.

Somehow, Hatter seemed familiar, and though Regina didn't want to admit it, or believe it, she felt like Hatter was feeling exactly how she had felt, how she had been all those lonely, lost years of suffering and loss.

She sighed and leaned into the pillow, lost in hopelessness and despair. Somehow everything had gone wrong.

She had never dreamed that she would adopt a son, she never had thought that she would fall in love with him at first sight. There was just something enchanting about his gorgeous brown orbs and his perfect chestnut shaded hair. She never thought she would wonder how someone could give him away, seal him out with a closed adoption.

She never expected to find herself where she was today.

Absorbed deep in thought, she almost didn't notice the familiar feel of Daniel's comforting hand on her shoulder.

"You okay?" Regina sighed, not wanting to talk about her unattainable problem, that problem that clouded all thoughts like an invisible barrier to thought.

"I... There was a new arrival in Storybrooke. From Wonderland. She says she doesn't know how to get back to her home, but I know she does."

"Did you ever consider just taking a break?" Daniel asked softly, rubbing her back comfortingly. "I'm sure Snow and Emma and Charming would take care of it..." Regina groaned.

"That flake of snow, dumb blonde, and that fop ruined everything, Daniel. You don't know them like I do. If I want success, I need to depend upon myself. That's how I've always done things," she said simply, leaning back into Daniel's embrace. "Besides, it takes my mind off things... it makes me feel good to know I'm helping others... I hate being helpless. And maybe this way I can prove to everyone that I'm not a monster." Daniel studied her eyes, gaze standing strong.

"You aren't a monster," he whispered. "Even if you've lost sight of it, I know you when I see you. Believe me, Regina, you can prove yourself to the town another way. They don't need your life, they need your wisdom. Or is it something more than that, because I'm beginning to suspect it is."

Regina remained silent, staring dejectedly off into nowhere in particular.

"I... It's not just the town, Daniel." she locked eyes with him. "It's me. I need to prove to me that I can change."

It hurt Daniel to hear her talk like that, and she knew it, but she said nothing.

"Have you ever thought maybe about me?" Daniel finally asked. "I try to keep it in, Regina, but I have to say it. I'm scared for you. I truly am." Regina chuckled moodily.

"And that is what makes it all so sad," she said in a monotone voice, completely devoid of any emotion whatsoever. "What if we aren't destined to be together? What if all I'm ever meant to do is lose?"

The room was silent for a few seconds more, and then Daniel simply stood up and stormed out of the room. Regina watched him leave in silence, watched him stomp out the front door, onto the patio, and then, he was gone from sight.

What was happening here?

* * *

Killian Jones smashed through the window of none other than Rumplestiltskin's shop. The sound of shatter and deadly yet beautiful glass pieces scattering across the floor ringed perfectly in his ears, and for a moment one might've assumed he was creating music.

He was seething, though, livid, even, and drew in heavy breaths, sticking his hand through the punctured glass and gripping the ice-cold handle. The door creaked open slowly. He was, well, had been planning on skinning that crocodile, maybe scattering some of the items in his shop, although he realized that it was a shop full of stolen possessions from their past life. How... ironic. But fitting.

Hook walked into the shop, attention wandering and his good hand tracing alongside the narrow edge of the shelf to his side.

His gaze drifted onto a quaint looking hat, and he smiled, dusting it off.

"Hello, Hatter," he said, grinning tentatively. A woman stepped out from behind the display behind him and out from the darkness, her figure almost seeming to dance in the dim lighting.

"Hello, Hook," she frowned at the sight of the hat he was fingering. "Tell me, now, why would you want to wear such a ghastly thing like that?" she asked, raising a thick red eyebrow.

"Well, love, as you can-"

"Don't call me love," Hatter said abruptly. Her patience was already running dry. Hook sure knew how to piss people off.

"I call everyone love... love."

Hatter bit her lip, wanting to scream secretly. Yes, she detested Hook, but she needed to stay calm in order to get what she wanted.

"You know what I'm here for. Now tell me where it is. Tell me where I can find Cora's heart." Hook eyed her thoughtfully for a moment, before speaking.

"And what's in it for me?"

Hatter waited to hear that word, but it never came. She stole a reluctant glance around before allowing her gaze to fall upon Hook once more.

"I hear you're in town to skin a crocodile..."


	55. Can You Imagine

"Hatter was found missing from the hospital this morning," Emma said into the phone. Daniel had been the only one home for the time being, and he was starting to wish he hadn't picked up the phone. He bit his lip, drawing blood. Maybe he would make a contact for Regina later, so she would know who was calling her. "Three idiots" would be a good place to start for naming suggestions.

"And how on earth do you find someone missing? They're either missing, or they aren't," he stated numbly after he had summoned enough energy to speak again. There was a short moment of silence on the other end before Emma spoke again.

"I would say some snarky, rude remark back to that... If I knew one. Now, tell me this. How do you think a bedridden patient from the hospital that has not only suffered from a long fall, but an assault, and remember, a magical assault, how do you think they can go missing the day after?" Now it was Daniel's turn to stay silent.

"How did you even know?" He asked warily. "How did you know Cora attacked her?" He could almost see her modest shrug on the other end of the line.

"I have my ways... I'm more concerned about how she went missing... I'm guessing she was kidnapped. Hatter could very well possess magic, we don't know. If she does, then I'm assuming she healed herself. If not, someone else had to help her." Daniel swallowed hard, before clearing his throat.

"What about the other patient?" he managed to ask. "Did he see anything? I was told there was another victim from the fall..."

"No, actually. But bottom line, we need someone to examine the area. Someone with magic."

"And by magic, you mean Regina."

"Well... to put it bluntly, yes." Daniel groaned at her response.

"Okay, well, you know what? Lately Regina has been doing everything... Getting you home, fighting Cora, taking care of Ursula, saving Maleficent, dealing with my... reverting, and I can't help but start to feel concerned," Daniel stuttered through the receiver. "You have magic, and you don't have problems with using it, so YOU check it out!" he practically yelled into the line. He was fuming now.

There was another long moment of silence. And then the sudden and abrupt sound of the line going dead.

Like a fitful boy who hadn't gotten something he wanted, Daniel hurled the phone across the room and ran his fingers through his thick brown hair.

* * *

Regina knocked hard on Cora's door, expectantly staring at the hard barrier from the doorstep. She was nervous to do this, well, of course she would be, she didn't want Cora to freak out on her. And, so, the very moment Cora opened the door, she blurted out the question she had been holding in.

"Did you attack Hatter? Did you attack the patient in the hospital?" She asked suddenly, and she could tell by the look Cora was giving her she knew exactly what she was talking about.

For a moment there, she was sure Cora would pause and slam the door right back in her face, but she just stood there in pure silence.

"I, uh..." Cora started after she had found her voice. "No, well, yes, but..." Regina raised an eyebrow skeptically, causing Cora to stiffen noticeably. "Darling, you have to understand, I had no choice," she stuttered, and Regina scrutinized her briefly for a moment. "The girl had been, well, let's say a nuisance, and I couldn't let it slide."

"So that gives you an excuse to attack her viciously and almost kill her," Regina dryly remarked, folding her arms cross her chest awkwardly. Cora bit her lip.

"I wouldn't necessarily put it like that," she said, but by the timing of her response Regina could tell she had planned each word out carefully. So she simply laughed roughly, the odd sound of it echoing about hollowly. Smiling, she shook her head and wiped a tear from her eye, while Cora watched her, obviously perplexed at her strange behavior.

"The way you act makes me think that the only reason she's even alive right now is because you feared my reaction," Regina said simply. "But what makes you care that much? About me?" Cora just stared at her with those dark, unfathomable eyes. She couldn't seem to find her voice.

"Of course. You're my daughter," she said in a hurt-sounding, choked voice. Regina could see she had hurt her with her question.

"Then why attack her in the first place?" Cora opened her mouth to say something, but abruptly shut it.

"Regina... I am truly sorry," Cora said genuinely although Regina felt like she was watching the lies seep straight through her mother's teeth like thick, powerful acid.

"Then prove it," was all Regina said, before she turned and walked away without so much as another glance.

* * *

**_So, after a long, long time, Once is back! Pretty cheerful right now..._**

**_Please R&R!_**

**_P.S. Was anyone else thinking of Ariel, you know, with the whole "stay away from the human world" thing?_**


	56. God Help The Outcast

Light filtered into the room in thin slivers of sunshine. Groaning, Regina turned over in her bed, the sheets roughly crinkling against her weight, as if in protest. It was early morning already, but she knew she had to get up right away. Something was preying on Daniel's mind, and she knew it.

"Daniel?" She asked in a hushed tone, not wanting to wake him if he was still asleep. He rolled over onto his side to face her.

"Yes?" Me murmured drowsily, his eyes still heavy from sleepiness and hair flyaway and untamed.

"Is there anything you want to tell me?" Daniel froze. He wasn't sure if he should tell her about the call he had received from Emma. He was afraid she would get herself hurt; he didn't want her to walk right through the fire. She might've been trying to change, yes, but there had to be another way to prove herself to the town. Not to mention the fact that he felt that she wanted to fight for another reason. Although he himself didn't know why.

Daniel drew in a deep breath. "Regina... there was a call from Emma yesterday. You know the girl from the hospital that Cora attacked? She went missing the other day..." Regina stared at Daniel blankly, before finding her voice.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked quietly, so softly she might not have even said it at all.

"I'm afraid for you," Daniel said, hating how hurt Regina looked. "I'm afraid you're going to get yourself killed one day, I just know it."

"I do know what I'm up against," Regina argued defiantly, a stern look displayed across her face.

"I... I just don't understand. Why do you have this need to fight? Why do you want to do this?" Regina sucked in a breath, knowing she was losing here.

For the life of her, she couldn't locate the reason why. Every time she walked out the door, maybe to solve a problem or confront Cora, she saw him die a little more inside. She didn't want to hurt him anymore, and she knew the only way to do that was to put an end to it all.

"Daniel... listen to me." She hated how hurt her voice sounded, just so hurt and weak and tired. She hesitated for a moment before continuing.

"Nothing is free... and I most certainly know redemption isn't. And..."

"It isn't just the redemption," Daniel snapped irritably, cutting her off before she could finish her sentence. "It's something else, something inside of you. I know you think you're trying to redeem yourself, but even if you can't see it, I can. And I know that you're doing this for another reason." Regina bit her lip, tearfully making a agonized gesture/

"I just... I don't want anyone to have to go through it alone. If I had someone to stand by my side all those years, I wouldn't have spiraled down into darkness. Remember the cricket incident? It was like someone's sick idea of a game, Daniel. I don't even want to think what might've happened if you hadn't been there for me." Daniel gently rested a hand on top of hers.

"I understand, Regina, but you can't keep on doing this. I don't want to lose you, and you keep on saying you'll be fine and that you'll stay away from the crossfire, but I don't want to feel helpless. Even if it means my own demise, I will protect you." Regina gulped,the ache and saltiness at the back of her throat seeming to magnify every passing second. And she somehow couldn't seem to get rid of that sinking feeling she had deep in her heart.

"Daniel... I have to do this. It's out only way to get home. And have a happy ending. Don't you see?" Daniel shook his head.

"No, Regina, I don't see." Finally Regina just couldn't take it anymore and she simply stood up and went to go take a walk and get some fresh air.

* * *

It was already very late, so late that the stars had come out and the moon had illuminated the town. Regina knew she should get home soon, but she didn't want to. So she simply sat on a park bench, staring out into the distance at nothing in particular. It was purely silent expect for the almost angelic sound of crickets chirping and the sound of the trees swaying to the wind.

She pulled her coat on a little tighter, but didn't mind the bitterness and chill of the air wrapping around her.

Someone came and sat down on the bench, and the two sat there in utter silence before one spoke.

"I'm tired of fighting, Daniel." He nodded and the two stared ahead, not needing to even glance at each other or say any more words.

They already knew what each of them had to say.


	57. Peace Will Be The End

"I'll get breakfast started this morning," Regina said from the bathroom. She patted on a little bit of makeup before heading off. She really couldn't care less about appearances anymore, because all the dressing up like a doll had only been to make her feel... well, more regal.

Daniel seemed to read her mind at this moment.

"You don't need to put on so much makeup, you know," he pointed out. Regina shook her head.

"No... I mean, I just... I don't know, it takes my mind off things, you know?" Daniel studied her duly for a moment before just shaking his head.

"I suppose so... I'll se you downstairs for breakfast, love."

Regina's heart seemed to soar. Love. It sounded perfect. She wanted to taste it on her own tongue, the unfamiliarity of it, but also the affection and meaning it held to her. She loved the way the L rolled off his tongue and splashed perfectly together with the other consonants and vowels. It did sound wonderful.

She paused at the doorway.

"Daniel?" He looked up from the mirror in his side of the bathroom.

"Yes, Regina?"

She hesitated for a split second.

"What's this?" She asked, fingering a pocket watch hanging on the door handle. Daniel frowned, squinted, then approached the strange object.

"I don't know..." Regina gulped. No, it couldn't be possible. Daniel wouldn't do that to her, would he?

And yet, it would explain all the running out of the place all the time, why he was always missing... No, she decided, she was just being silly. There was no way Daniel was cheating on her.

Right...?

Regina swallowed, maintaining her stone-cold mask. "Never mind... maybe someone left it here." Did she just see Daniel breathe a sigh of relief?

"Regina, um, I was going to go out in town today... Ruby wanted me to help her with something." Regina squinted, kind of staring ahead in shock. God, Daniel was seeing Ruby? A WOLF? Why? No, no. This wasn't possible. But it would answer a lot of questions... Like why he was always going out, and maybe even why they hadn't won in the first place against Cora in the stables so long ago was because what they had wasn't true love...

"You okay?" Daniel inquired upon seeing the anxious expression displayed on Regina's face. She swallowed, and tried to mask her emotions.

"Just... a little tired," she lied, and turned the handle to the door. "I'm just going to go downstairs an make breakfast..." And she left the room and a rather perplexed Daniel.

* * *

During breakfast, Daniel kept on glancing at his watch repeatedly. Over and over. Then, at the ball of 7:25, he jumped up from his chair.

"I have to go," he announced, and gave her a quick kiss on her cheek before dashing out the door with a... backpack? She doubted he was going for a walk now. Something inside her whispered in her ear in an evil little tone, trying to persuade her to follow him.

But she wouldn't do that. Maybe Daniel was going for an errand. She shook her head, she would talk to him about it later.

Tears began to stain her face after a moment, because she knew she was only fooling herself at this point. Daniel was up to something, but she wasn't strong enough to tell him or find out what. Maybe she didn't even want to see what he had to hide.

No, she wasn't going to be scared anymore, she concluded. Wherever Daniel was going, he shouldn't have to hide it from her. She was his wife, and she had enough right to know what her husband was doing. She left her eggs on the table, not bothering to clean up, and made a mad run towards the door.

She was going to get to the bottom of this, she swore.

* * *

When Regina reached Granny's, a large sign was displayed across the wall.

RENOVATING

She let out a loud, frustrated groan, and her hands tore at her hair. She didn't care at this point if she ripped it out. She had no idea where else Ruby would be, or, for that matter, Daniel. She froze at that thought. Because now it felt like she didn't even know her own husband.

She was not impressed with her innocence in this situation. She didn't want to believe she had done nothing to drive Daniel away.

But maybe she had done something. Maybe it was her constant stress and all the self bashing and just hating life. Maybe she had just become too much of a burden to him.

Tears began to prick at her eyes. So much time had gone by, and she hadn't been able to find anyone. Her entire fight had ended in failure.

Her phone buzzed, pulling her away from her thoughts before she was able to solve the puzzle. It was a text from Daniel that read, "Meet me at Granny's."

Her heart seemed to freeze. What did this message mean?

She stood there for a few seconds, staring at the flat screen, then shook her head off.

She was going to get an explanation for this.


	58. People in Storybrooke Are Changing

When Regina tumbled into the shop rather ungracefully, she was greeted by a sight that left her mouth hanging ajar in the shape of an O and her hands hanging limply at her sides. Everyone laughed at the sight of the former Queen, hair bedraggled and arms limp, but it was a friendly sort of laughter.

"SURPRISE!" They all shouted at once.

"Wh- what?!" Regina stammered, evidently in shock. What was this?

"Hello," Daniel said, wrapping his arms around her waist and embracing her tightly, as the realization began to sink in at last. The reason Daniel must've been sneaking around was so he could organize this, but the question was, why?

"D-Daniel?" she mumbled under her breath. "Um, what's the occasion, exactly?" Daniel paused, releasing her from his grip.

"The occasion is, I love you. And you need to understand the town doesn't hate you. What else would they be doing here?" Regina still was in shock. Everyone was here. Everyone she had hurt once upon a time, was finally moving on. Was this a dream? Was she going to wake up any moment now?

"Thank you, Daniel." She smiled warmly at him.

* * *

"So, this is what you've been doing," she said, as she cut a sizable slice of cheesecake for herself and placed it smoothly on her plate. "I mean, whenever you go out. Figures, I mean, you were always kind of a home person. You had me a bit worried for a while." Daniel chuckled.

"I think someone wants to talk to you." Regina glanced in the direction he had motioned to, and she recognized Snow staring at her from the other end of the room. She swallowed, she wasn't in the mood for a confrontation now. But, still... "It's probably a good idea to at least talk to her," Daniel suggested. "I mean, come on, I don't think I even invited her." Well, of course she came uninvited. "Maybe Ruby invited her." Oh. That would make much more sense, yes.

"I don't know, Daniel... there isn't a lot of good history back there. I mean, I forgive her. But I don't know if she's ready to forgive me, yet." She sighed and let her hand slide onto his. He squeezed her hand gently.

"Don't worry about it, Regina." She eyed him quietly for a moment.

"All right." As an afterthought, she mumbled, "But I'm going to regret it." She hoped he hadn't heard her, but it had been so soft of a whisper, she might not have even said it at all.

Snow looked up at the sight of Regina approaching her. Evil Queen, stepmother, evil stepmother, Henry's step great grandmother and adoptive mother, Emma's step grandmother... yes, she was a lot of things to this family. She was so close to them, yet very far.

"Hi," Regina tried, because she had no idea what else to say.

"Hi," Snow said.

"Why did you come tonight?" Regina asked, slightly on the verge of tears. The Charming family was not exactly an area of comfort for her, but she knew sooner or later she would've had to deal with them.

"Regina... I wanted to tell you, I forgive you. I mean, we've all seen how hard you're trying to change. Well, actually, not trying anymore. How much you've changed. But, Regina, you have to admit, although you blame the darkness that filled your heart all those years ago on us, some of it was your fault." She said that sentence a little softer and let out a nervous chuckle, and made an awkward gesture. Regina shook her head.

"No... you're completely right. I mean, I know what you're saying." Regina motioned for Snow to continue. And she did, after she took a deep breath.

"And, well... it reminds me of when I was a little girl. I can't believe how terrible it must've been to have to stay married to a man you didn't want to marry. And take care of me when I was a little girl, for all those years... Not to mention the reason you kept the secret from me was because you didn't want to break my heart..." Tears began to cascade from Regina' eyes, and her mouth felt dry and numb.

"And... I realized, I guess you're not the only one who should be apologizing. Regina... I mean it with all my heart when I say I'm sorry. Because, I can't help like feel that I could've done something you save you from the darkness. I guess all of us are sort of guilty." Regina smiled. For the first time in a very long time, The Evil Queen smiled at Snow White. It wasn't a spiteful smile, it was a real one, and it was a sign that things were changing in Storybrooke.

"Thank you, Snow... I have an apology of my own. I'm sorry I pinned the blame on you... It was wrong of me to do such a thing. You were only a child, after all. Everyone makes mistakes," she said, shaking her head. "I think I've made the most mistakes of all."

* * *

It was late by the time the surprise party had ended, and everyone was worn out and ready to leave. Gradually, the cafe emptied.

"Oh, shoot, I forgot my purse inside. I should probably go get it." Daniel nodded.

"Meet me back outside, okay? I'll be waiting." Regina dashed back inside and searched everywhere for her purse, but it was nowhere to be found.

"Damn," she cursed, and she was ready to turn around and leave when she noticed a familiar brown bag resting on the bar. "What the hell? I could've sworn that wasn't there a minute ago." She ran to retrieve the object, but as she was about to pick it up, a singular card drifted down from nowhere in particular. She swallowed. On the front of the card, a Queen.

And on the back, thick blood-red lettering that read;

**SHE'S BACK**.

* * *

_**So, after a very long time of pacing in front of the television on Sunday nights, and sometimes not pacing at all, after seeing the new episode Manhattan, Once Upon A Time FINALLY has that creative appeal to me once more! No more filler episodes (I'm not naming any) and no more contradictions (like the Charming/David naming thing), just hopefully Regina opens her eyes and sees Cora for who she is.**_

_**I'm very sorry I haven't updated in a long time, and I honestly have no excuses for the delay. -_- This story will be a few more chapters long and then I think I'll put it to a rest, and all I can say is thank you for your patience and for staying with the story this far!**_

_**Thanks to everyone who reviewed and read!**_


	59. Through The Looking Glass

The final call to preparation was not, as one might predict, easy. Even though everyone was homesick and relieved to go, it felt odd to leave the place they had lived in for 28 years behind and move on. It surprised them all, of course, they never thought they would miss the one place where they had had everything they loved ripped away from them.

But this was also a place where they had grown. Grown and learned from their mistakes, reminded of the people they should and should not be. It was a place that opened their eyes and brought realization forth. They remembered things and learned life lessons here.

Home wasn't a place, an address you memorized. It was where you would never feel lonely whenever you were alone. That was how you knew you were home. But Regina didn't really know where home was anymore. Was it really the Enchanted Forest, that place that brought back so many fateful memories? She felt a surge of emotions deep in the pit of her stomach. She knew she had been forgiven. So her final act would be to return everyone home again.

"Regina?" Daniel's voice sounded from a distance away. She blinked.

"I'm fine," she said hastily, taking one final look at her old house. That chunk of white had become like a sister to her, and she was sad to leave it behind, but she knew exactly what she had to do and that was bid it farewell to go find where she truly belonged. "I just think I'm going to miss this place." She felt a hand on her shoulder.

"I know you will. It's hard to leave things behind, especially places with so many memories." Daniel sighed. "But... in a way, it's kind of a good thing. I mean, when God closes one door, he opens another?"

Doors. That one sentence reminded Regina of a truth she had known long ago, a truth she had chosen to forget. She knew that line. They said when God closes one door, he opens another. She remembered when she'd thought that that was a lie. That she had only had doors slammed shut in her face.

But she had found that truth once more. Once more, after what had seemed like a thousand years of waiting, she could see again.

"I suppose so," Regina whispered, leaning into Daniel's embrace.

* * *

"This is the last time we'll ever see this place. I doubt we'll ever come back here, kiddo." Henry shrugged.

"I don't know... I mean, I don't know what home is anymore." And that was true. Henry wasn't sure of what was home anymore. Was it here, with Emma? Or was it with Regina? He didn't really know what a mother was. Well, he did, actually. A mother was someone who you grew up knowing. Who you laughed with for years and learned to grow with.

He felt so foolish now. How had he not realized Regina was his real mother after all? Time after time again he had told himself this, fooling himself into thinking he truly knew it, but he never had. Only now it had began to sink in.

"Hey, kid... we're going to be fine, you hear?" Henry nodded, because he didn't know what else to do and wasn't sure what to do anymore.

Charming and Snow stole a worried look at each other, and Henry noticed it out of the corner of his eyes. He felt like they were staring into his mind, that they could see what he was thinking. He wasn't sure what he meant by that, or how it was possible, but he felt like his own family was becoming foreign to him.

"Neal, you ready?" His dad ran up to Emma with a suitcase and nodded.

Henry had never had a father figure before, but he was glad to have someone to look up to, even though Emma had warned him numerous times he didn't want to lead the life his father had. Although Henry wasn't sure if he wanted to lead the life any of his parents had, real or not.

"Yeah." Neal ruffled Henry's hair. "You ready?"

"Uh-huh... I guess."

* * *

That day, every single citizen in Storybrooke met at the well. They all knew the plan. Cora would send them all to her kingdom, Wonderland, and then from there they would use Jefferson's hat to travel back home again.

The only problem was the overload of people. No one was really sure how many people were there. Plenty of magic was required to send them home, so that meant assistance from the Dark One and the Blue Fairy. Regina had given up her magic long ago, so she knew the town was going to have to cross their fingers and pray they would return home successfully.

The well had the power to give them back what they once had lost. And this was going to be the end of their journey, this was supposed to be the end of their story. Although this wasn't the end. This was only the beginning.

When the portal opened, there was a long pause. Only now did Regina realize how close they were to getting home. Would it work? That was something she decided she was going to have to unravel later.

She felt Daniel squeeze her hand, and she sent a weak smile in her direction.

"Ready?"

"As I'll ever be..."

All Regina remembered after that was jumping through the portal, and then the world spiraling into darkness and melting away before her very eyes.


	60. Puzzle Pieces

Wonderland really couldn't be considered Wonderland anymore, with all honesty. Regina wasn't even sure where they had ended up.

It was a place shrouded in darkness, completely black and there was just something there that made her shudder and cling tighter to Daniel.

"What happened here?" Regina whispered, squeezing Daniel's hand.

"It's Underland," Mr. Gold said, as if they were discussing wine or gardening or something typical like that. "Of course, it's always looked like this. This is the land beyond the looking glass." He squinted and glanced off into the distance. Regina had no clue what he meant by this, but she simply swallowed and bit her lip.

A loud meow sounded from her bag, and she nearly jumped, before placing a hand over her heart to calm her nerves. She had forgotten that Dinah was in the cat carrier, but the poor thing must be terribly frightened. She would've let her out for a minute, but she decided against it. She was pretty positive that Gold or Cora would not be amused to watch the Evil Queen's cat run amok. She noticed Daniel stifle a laugh, though.

"I don't know why we're here, but... I guess I assumed we would end up in front of the looking glass. Not here," she paused, noticing Cora let out a little cough and place a hand over where her heart should've been.

"You okay?" Cora nodded. Regina normally didn't trust Cora, but she figured Cora had no reason to lie and therefore it must be the truth. "Okay, then..."

"Don't we have somewhere to be going?" Emma asked, annoyed. "I mean, there are all these people here who want to get home as soon as possible," she said, making a gesture towards the crowd behind her.

"Emma's right," Neal pointed out. "I mean, someone could get killed out here. Everyone's anxious enough, as it is." The Blue Fairy nodded.

"Right. Well, do you have Jefferson's hat?" Emma asked. Gold handed it to her.

"You need to focus," he instructed. "Just think completely about the Enchanted Forest, home, and that's where we'll end up." Regina recognized something strange in his tone. Could it possibly be concern? No, he saw the future. There was nothing to worry about.

"Okay." Emma uneasily got down on her knees, and with trembling hands, attempted to spin the hat.

"Focus," Gold said a little more harshly.

"I am," Emma snapped, trying to freeze her gaze upon the offensive garment. "It isn't working," she said after a few more attempts, which only received a scolding from Gold.

"Perhaps if you would heed my directions," he said irritably. Regina noticed Belle's grip tighten on his arm, and she could've sworn she saw him soften slightly.

"Arguing isn't going to solve anything," Cora chided. "We need to focus on... on..."

Now Cora had Regina worried. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine." Regina's brow furrowed. That sounded very out of character for Cora to say, but she didn't quite know why. "I-"

Before anyone knew what was happening, the former Queen had collapsed on the floor, tears cascading from her eyes. It took Regina a moment to realize what was happening, but she knew in a crowd like this, she was sure never to find who had Cora's heart.

A loud scream sounded from the center of the crowd, and soon the people of Storybrooke were running in every direction. Regina had only seen panic like this once time, but she was not about to recall or divulge in memories at a time like this.

She should've known who it was from the very beginning. After all, all the clues had lined up in place. She had just been so careless as to not decipher them. The watch in her house to the card at the party.

"You let go of that!" Regina screamed, taking a lunge towards Hook and Hatter. She wasn't going to make the same mistake as she had last time, with Daniel. Night after night, she had wished she had known the truth. That she should've gone for the heart and not for the body.

She was so furious, she was prepared to use magic. That was a no-brainer, it was saving a life and it didn't matter. She heard a nervous shout from Daniel behind her, but she didn't care. She could feel the familiar spark of magic bursting from her fingertips and coursing through her veins.

"Regina... no matter what happens, I do love you. I just don't know how to love very well."

That was the final straw for Regina, and she raised a massive fireball the size of a truck and sent it in the direction of Hook and that old Hatter. A loud explosion sounded, and Regina heard shouts and screams, then nothing at all...


	61. Waking Up

"Regina. Regina." Her eyes snapped open, and she began to soak in her surroundings. She was in what appeared to be a tent. She would've sat up, but she was too tired to do so.

"Daniel?" She couldn't recognize the voice, couldn't quite make that distinction, but her first idea was Daniel.

"No, it's Henry." A small child swam into her view. She let out a small smile, that quickly vanished once the memories started flooding back and she had remembered what had happened.

"Cora," she whispered, and she felt a lump rising in her throat. Damn her, she couldn't remember anything at all. "Henry... what happened?" she could make out the blurry figure look around for a moment.

"I can't tell you. Emma says I shouldn't, at least. She says for you to ask Daniel." Regina hastily nodded, or did her best to, at least. Emma had probably made the better call on that one. "I gotta go. I'll see you later, mom." She managed a weak smile.

"Thank you, Henry."

She waited until the sound of his footsteps had faded before letting herself cry. She prayed with all her heart that Cora had survived. She wasn't sure how she had ended up here, but she was positive she was in the Enchanted Forest right now.

She was glad to be back home again, but she truly didn't know what to think. A few hours ago there had been nothing on her mind, compared to what was burdening her thoughts in this very instant. She felt gripped by her emotions once more, she felt like how she had felt when she had seen Daniel in the stables again for the first time in a long time, all those months ago. Maybe it had been years. She didn't know what anything was.

Regina forced herself to sit up. Lying around wasn't going to help her figure out where she really was.

A powerful headache coursed through her head in waves, and she let out a loud whimper before letting herself relax for a moment.

Footsteps sounded from in front of her, and she swallowed and bit her lip.

"Hey... Regina, you're up. How are you feeling?" she blinked.

"Fine, thank you," she hastily said. "What happened, Daniel?" A long pause followed that question. It wasn't a silence where nothing is sounding, it was a silence that was very noisy, one where no one happened to be talking. But that silence was all she needed to answer her question, and she simply sat there in shock. "Cora's dead. Isn't she." She received no answer from Daniel, and it infuriated her in a way she had never experienced before. "ISN'T SHE."

"Yes."

It wasn't necessarily the confirmation that made Regina break down. It was the shock from it all that was sent crashing down upon her the way a skyscraper collapses. She felt all her emotions pancake down on her spirit.

"I'm sorry, Regina."

"What else happened?" Regina demanded, her gaze meeting Daniel's eyes. He couldn't force his upon hers, he was afraid to look at her hurt expression.

"Regina... I don't know if you want to know-"

"I do, tell me, I have a right to know!" She snapped, her voice reaching a dangerous level. Daniel sucked in a deep breath. If not from him, Regina was going to find out from someone else and Daniel wanted anything but that.

"Well... there isn't much to know. After you threw that fireball at Hatter, she deflected it. Apparently she has magic." A hand flew up to Regina's mouth.

"What?" she whispered.

"It caused a massive explosion. No citizens were hurt except for you. Both Hatter and Hook died." Regina bit her lip. "After the explosion, Gold and everyone else decided it was safest to return to the Enchanted Forest."

"And Cora?"

Daniel shook his head. "She died. I'm sorry, Regina."

"Did her corpse remain?" Regina demanded, her eyes filled with an emotion Daniel could not recognize or even think to begin to understand. He nodded, because he wasn't going to lie to her. "You have to let me see her," Regina pressed.

"I don't know if that's what's best-"

"I don't care!" Regina shouted. Daniel had never seen her like this, he couldn't help but feel his heart seem to melt away at the sight of his shaken wife.

"All right, then."

* * *

Regina made sure Daniel left her and Cora alone in the tent. She wanted to have a moment alone with Cora. No, not Cora. Her mother.

She still was in shock. She couldn't allow herself to believe what had just happened. But when she saw her mother, lying there still as a stone on the cold, dusty ground, she finally broke down.

"Damn you!" she screamed through her tears. "You weren't supposed to die! You can't!" She fell to her knees and continued sobbing. "Wake up, please, wake up!"

But no matter what she did, Cora lay there as still as could be.

She let out continuous shuddering breaths and tried to calm herself down.

"This is all my fault... I... I wish... I wish I could've been faster. To save you. You wouldn't be gone by now," she cried.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I should've... you were the one who brought me up. I remember when I was small, and you held me by the hand and told me that no matter what you would always love me. Before you filled your heart with darkness and lost sight of what was real and what was not. You fought so hard for all those years to keep away from the darkness."

"It was not your fault that your deal with the Dark One required you to learn magic. I should've opened my eyes earlier. You know, there isn't a day goes by that I don't wonder how things might've gone if I had truly seen what I had in front of me." Regina sucked in a breath, little gasps setting out in hiccups. She rubbed her arms, it suddenly felt so cold. She felt just so cold and empty right now.

"I know you wanted the best for me. Dad was right. You only wanted to give me everything you couldn't have for yourself. But by then, it was too late. You were already lost in darkness. I wish I'd done something to save you." Regina let out a nervous chuckle, because the silence was killing her and she needed to calm herself down. But the sound of her own laugh only scared her more.

"Goodbye, mother," Regina whispered, turning to leave, before pausing.

_I've always felt lost. Drifting away into the distance, no one to catch me or to keep me to the ground. Daniel was the reason to keep on going. Because once upon a time, I fell in love._

Even if there was possibly no chance it would work, there was still one thing left she could do.

_It's said that any curse can be broken by true love's kiss, but nothing can break my curse. My curse is the worst of all. I have no one._

Step after step she approached her mother, before kneeling down once more and taking her cold hand into hers.

_I had a true love until he was killed, I had a son who never truly loved me._

She pressed a single kiss onto Cora's forehead.

_All my life, it seems I've been alone. But that's okay. It's what I'm used to by now._

She hadn't expected it to work. But nothing could've prepared her for the guilt and disappointment in herself that she felt when it didn't.

Of course she wasn't Cora's one love. It had been her father, Henry. But it was too late to turn back the clock. The sandglass had emptied. Time had ticked itself out.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, before running off and never looking back. She knew it would be the end of her if she looked.

* * *

Regina absently stroked Dinah's fur. Dinah mewled quietly and tried to escape from the woman who had been petting her for hours, but there seemed to be no escape.

"Regina, unless you're planning on petting the fur off of Dinah, you might want to let her down for a minute. She looks pretty tired, anyway." Regina let Dinah slip out of her lap, and the kitten took one look at her and dashed into the corner of the tent.

"Regina, are you okay?" She nodded. Because she was perfectly fine. She hadn't let go yet, but she knew she would just have to learn how to. She hadn't really learned how to let go that well, yet. Daniel took a seat next to her. "It's hard, I understand that. But just know, if you want to talk about it, I'm here," he said, giving her hand a squeeze. She nodded and looked back off into the distance. Daniel let out an exasperated sigh and stood before turning to leave. Before he had completely cleared from her sight, though, he turned and said one last thing. "I love you."

"I love you too," she whispered back.

When he had vanished from her sight, one single thought surfaced in her mind.

That one kiss that had occurred at the stables had not only woken Daniel up. It had woken her up, too. It had opened her eyes to a whole new world, a fantastic new paradise.

And she knew that no matter what happened from now on, whatever she faced, she would face it with Daniel.

FIN

* * *

_**THANK YOU!**_

_**I remember, a few months ago, I honestly wasn't expecting this story to get any attention, and when it did, I must say that that was the greatest gift of all. Thanks to all your support and constructive criticism, my writing has really improved through the entirety of this story. I give everyone who stayed with the story my largest and most sincere thanks.**_

_**Although I am sad to see this story come to an end, it was, in my opinion, a good way to bring closure to the story.**_

_**Thank you all for participating in this work of FanFiction, and I am very grateful to have such incredible readers! :)**_


	62. Bonus: Forgiven

"What are you looking at?" Regina recognized the voice behind her, but the familiarity did nothing to calm her nerves.

She stood at the edge of a cliff, gazing across the land that had come to devastation and ruin. Loss. Because of her. She wished she understood what it felt like to lose your home. She hadn't really ever had a real home, not any that she could remember, at least.

She wanted to understand because she wanted to be able to emphasize. She figured that since she had not been understood, then perhaps that was the reason she was not forgiven. If she could emphasize, she wouldn't have to feel... so dejected, so secluded from the group. She wished she had lost as much over the curse that everyone else did, although she knew it was a foolish antic and she ought not to think that way.

"Everything," she sighed, the sight of Maleficent clouding her peripheral vision.

"There isn't anything you can do, Regina... Just know that you've been forgiven," Maleficent said, and though Regina couldn't make out her image clearly, she knew her friend was smiling. She didn't understand how her friend could be smiling at a time like this, but she told herself not to worry about it and to just try to look on. Look ahead. Move on.

"You know, Regina, that long time ago, when I told you that casting the curse would leave a void in your heart... I was wrong. And I'm glad I was. You've only grown from this experience." Tears began to cloud Regina's vision. "I remember when you were first learning magic. You told me that it wasn't fair for someone to get a happy ending and we weren't. You saw everyone equal back then."

"You're right," Regina whispered, choking on her own voice.

"Even back then, I believe yo were able to see things that I couldn't see. That no one else could probably see. And, I suppose what I'm trying to say is, I'm glad you found that person again."

"Thank you," Regina said, wiping away the tears and sending a smile in Maleficent's direction. "You were the only person who really understood me. Through all the years of darkness."

A soft mew like sound interrupted her from her thoughts, and she spun around. Maleficent chuckled from the side of her.

"Oh, I believe your pet has come back for you." Regina scooped Dinah up in her arms and let out a little chuckle.

"Her name is Dinah," Regina said, and as if on cue, Dinah swung a paw near Maleficent's golden-shaded hair, and the two let out a laugh.

"It's good to be home," Regina said.


End file.
